Background: With the Open Innovation paradigm come new hopes for innovating companies. The ability to tap a global network of experts can, at least in theory, have a significant impact on an organization’s competitive strength. Before such a ‘network of experts’ can be used to its full potential however, a number of challenges related to knowledge markets seem to need solutions. About 10 years ago however, we could witness the entry of a new breed of company – calling themselves innovation intermediaries. These companies are built to profit from delivering the usefulness of knowledge networks to client (Seeker) companies. Though the use of such networks and markets have so far been uncommon outside of high-tech fields they are now starting to be seen used by companies in more mature environments.Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine the collaboration between SCA (a large Swedish corporation) and the innovation intermediary InnoCentive in order to create a better understanding of what kind of benefits can be derived from the use of an innovation intermediary, and how these benefits are best utilized. We also set out to identify relevant limitations of innomediary use and to seek to better understand how using an innomediary can fit a client company’s higher-order activities such as exploration and exploitation.Completion and Results: Our findings include that SCA are using InnoCentive mainly as a tool to solve highly specific problems and/or problems with a low degree of complexity that they encounter in their everyday activities. The challenges related to knowledge markets, we find, are avoided by keeping problem complexity low and problem modularity high for the problems sent out to the network. In addition, InnoCentive’s business model seems to eliminate costly negotiations between Seekers and Solvers. Using this kind of ‘market solution’ however, we argue, will put bounds on the usefulness of the network and makes it mainly suited as a tool for improving an organization’s exploitation capacity.

Firms operate in an increasingly complex, unpredictable and fast-moving environment. Understand the business ecosystem in which an innovative company operates is a major leadership stake. Indeed, know how the various possibilities to interact with the actors present in the business ecosystem of an organization are part of the leadership role. In order to survive facing competitive organizations, and to get a sustainable competitive advantage, an innovative organization must be able to combine with various partners on its business ecosystem in order to share knowledge and competencies, and therefor implement open innovation processes may be a key success factor that should not be sidelined. To do so, an oganization must understand innovation to adopt open innovation processes, must also take into account various elements of its business ecosystem to settle competitive dynamics with stakeholders and be able to interact with these different actors, and to finish an innovative organization must be able to set open innovation processes to find a key success factor and perform a sustainable competetive advanage.

In recent years, with the advance of liquid crystal display technology, the LCD monitors have been gradually replacing the traditional CRT monitors. From the display of desktop computers to the general home TV screen, the LCD screens become bigger and thinner. It is not only utilized in television and computers but also advertising billboards. It also helps the expansion of digital signage market. In response to the Chi Mei group¡¦s strategy to expand LCD panel development, Chi Lin Technology, a company with 40 years of experience in traditional plastic materials processing are transferring into the electronics manufacturer. Chi Lin Technology is constantly looking for the applicable areas of LCD technology and wants to bring the growth momentum for the company. They believe that the market of the digital signage in the convenience stores is white space. In order to seize this opportunity, Chi Lin Technology starts a series of internal innovation and integrates external resources to come out with a solution of the digital signage market development. This solution integrates the four major components, including hardware, software, services, and content. In addition, it consolidates subsidiary¡¦s advertising agency, content production, and channel management capabilities. This study is to analyze our strategy, which utilizes the existing core R&D strength to develop a complete digital signage solution. We will also research the advantages of Chi Lin Technology and the business model of advertising network operating system of digital signage.

This study presents a conceptual model, based on absorptive capacity and affordance theory, for investigating the e-Top facilitation and knowledge representation required by the e-Top platform and the impact of such functions in enhancing knowledge assimilation and then knowledge exploitation. A scale that measures above constructs is developed and validated. Survey data from e-Top platform members is tested. The partial least squares (PLS) method is empirically used to test the conceptual model and hypotheses using the collected survey data. The empirical results support the proposed model. The analysis provides evidence that the e-Top facilitation and knowledge representation positively effect on knowledge assimilation; the knowledge assimilation has a positive effect on knowledge exploitation. This study provides initial insights into factors that are likely to be significant antecedents of knowledge exploitation for the e-Top platform. Besides, the consultant support positively amplified the effect of e-Top facilitation on knowledge assimilation. The findings are particularly valuable to the e-Top platform development team and administrators. The e-Top platform development team can develop the e-Top platform in accordance with these findings to ensure better knowledge assimilation and exploitation through the exploitation of e-Top platform. Thereby, with this platform the effectiveness of industry-university collaboration will be enhanced.

The digital sector is often described as rapidly evolving, hence organisations within it need to remain innovative in order to cope with the changes. However, the traditionally closed approach towards innovation has been increasingly criticized. Inbound innovation is an alternative approach described as the purposive pursuit of gaining external knowledge for product enhancement and new product development. This knowledge can be gained by using tools such as innovation contests and creating innovation communities. Through a multiple case study focusing on three companies within the digital sector, this thesis explores a potential connection between how these companies use inbound innovation in regard to the different phases in the organizational life cycle. The data was collected using both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques, and analysed using a cross-case analysis method. This thesis found that the examined organisations, each specified in different phases of the organisational life cycle, uses inbound innovation differently. Furthermore, as the examined organizations progress through the organisational life cycle a shift, from using inbound innovation to optimize execution towards using it to find new growth options, was found. / Den digitala sektorn beskrivs ofta som snabbt föränderlig och organisationer i den behöver förbli innovativa för att klara av förändringarna. Samtidigt har traditionella innovationsstrategier, som beskrivits som slutna, blivit allt mer kritiserade. ”Inbound” innovation är ett alternativ till tidigare innovationsstrategier. Strategin beskrivs som ändamålsenlig strävan efter att ta in extern kunskap för produktförbättring och gynna utvecklingen av nya produkter. Denna kunskap kan fångas upp genom användandet av verktyg som innovationstävlingar och innovationssamhällen. Genom en multipel fallstudie med fokus på tre organisationer inom den digitala sektorn utforskar denna avhandling det möjliga sambandet mellan hur dessa företag använder sig av ”inbound” innovation genom organisationens utveckling i organisations-livscykeln. Information kring ämnet har samlats in med hjälp av kvalitativa och kvantitativa datainsamlingstekniker och analyserats med hjälp av en tväranalys. Avhandling fann att de studerade företagen befinner sig i olika faser inom organisationslivscykeln och använder ”inbound” innovation på olika sätt. Dessutom påträffades ett samband, nämligen, när de studerade organisationerna fortskrider genom organisationslivscykeln ändrar de sitt användande av ”inbound” innovation från att optimera organisationens genomförande till att använda strategin för att hitta nya tillväxtmöjligheter.

The digital sector is often described as rapidly evolving, hence organisations within it need to remain innovative in order to cope with the changes. However, the traditionally closed approach towards innovation has been increasingly criticized. Inbound innovation is an alternative approach described as the purposive pursuit of gaining external knowledge for product enhancement and new product development. This knowledge can be gained by using tools such as innovation contests and creating innovation communities. Through a multiple case study focusing on three companies within the digital sector, this thesis explores a potential connection between how these companies use inbound innovation in regard to the different phases in the organizational life cycle. The data was collected using both qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques, and analysed using a cross-case analysis method. This thesis found that the examined organisations, each specified in different phases of the organisational life cycle, uses inbound innovation differently. Furthermore, as the examined organizations progress through the organisational life cycle a shift, from using inbound innovation to optimize execution towards using it to find new growth options, was found. / Den digitala sektorn beskrivs ofta som snabbt föränderlig och organisationer i den behöver förbli innovativa för att klara av förändringarna. Samtidigt har traditionella innovationsstrategier, som beskrivits som slutna, blivit allt mer kritiserade. ”Inbound” innovation är ett alternativ till tidigare innovationsstrategier. Strategin beskrivs som ändamålsenlig strävan efter att ta in extern kunskap för produktförbättring och gynna utvecklingen av nya produkter. Denna kunskap kan fångas upp genom användandet av verktyg som innovationstävlingar och innovationssamhällen. Genom en multipel fallstudie med fokus på tre organisationer inom den digitala sektorn utforskar denna avhandling det möjliga sambandet mellan hur dessa företag använder sig av ”inbound” innovation genom organisationens utveckling i organisations-livscykeln. Information kring ämnet har samlats in med hjälp av kvalitativa och kvantitativa datainsamlingstekniker och analyserats med hjälp av en tväranalys. Avhandling fann att de studerade företagen befinner sig i olika faser inom organisationslivscykeln och använder ”inbound” innovation på olika sätt. Dessutom påträffades ett samband, nämligen, när de studerade organisationerna fortskrider genom organisationslivscykeln ändrar de sitt användande av ”inbound” innovation från att optimera organisationens genomförande till att använda strategin för att hitta nya tillväxtmöjligheter.

The importance of search partnerships has grown as a mode to search for innovations. However, in spite of this development, notions of open innovation combined with new propositions to change the search process in favour of sustainability have unravelled a need to take stock of the existing literature of search partnerships and the aims that these partnerships follow. This review addresses this shortcoming and synthesises the literature on search partnerships to analyse the current state of knowledge to deliver future research opportunities. A systematic review process was adopted by means of a set a set of pre-defined stages. These stages included the formulation and positioning of the review question within the larger literature domains, a systematic research process which included the adoption of search strings, relevance and quality appraisal criteria, as well as a stock-taking process of descriptive and thematic features, which followed the logic of prescriptive synthesis. This process led to a representative sample of 73 articles which were analysed subsequently. The tentative findings reveal that the literature is underpinned by a combination of theories linking to evolutionary or transaction-based understandings of search partnerships. Also, six conditions were found to drive search partnerships and when they are likely to form. Moreover five interventions were identified that relate to the use of search methods, boundary spanning activities, and the number, type and involvement levels with the partner. Finally search partnerships have been found to yield five outcomes: partnerships, and various types of innovations, higher social goals, as well as market knowledge. By combining contexts, interventions, and outcomes, research opportunities are identified that should inform future reviews, including the need for more research in sustainability-led search partnership contexts and a better understanding of search strategy configurations in relation interventions used and anticipated search partnership outcomes obtained.

In today competitive business environment MNCs need to extend their R&D and include external sources to explore and exploit knowledge; Open Innovation is used to meet this increased competitive environment. The aim of this thesis is to explore how MNCs act when they select their external collaboration channels; why MNCs select a specific channel of innovation and problems associated with the work. The conclusion of this thesis could help MNCs and their managers regarding the choice of Open Innovation channels. This thesis also studies different Open Innovation channels and when companies work with several channels together.   A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted to explore how seven MNCs act when they select which external channel to collaborate with to increase their innovation capacity. An MNCs´ Open Innovation channel selection process is formed by the innovation needed, the innovation needed tend to form which channel to collaborate with, for example the timeframe perspective; when MNCs are focusing on long-term development of products they collaborate with universities. Further, if an MNC wants to develop an already existing technique, they choose to collaborate with suppliers, as they are familiar with the product. All companies use their already existing network as a channel to gain external innovation and new ideas.

The purpose of this study is to explore critical aspects in the establishment of an open innovation arena. This study considers only the perspective of science parks as the establisher and facilitator of the open innovation arenas. By understanding these critical aspects science parks and its participants can benefit from improved innovativeness. Using existing theories, a theoretical framework illustrating critical aspects for the establishment of an open innovation arena was created and subsequently tested through a qualitative research strategy. The research design included case studies into four science parks, three in Sweden and one in the UK, at various stages of establishing and facilitating open innovation arenas. The primary data comprised interviews with top management at each of the science parks, as well as one interview with a committee overseeing science parks in Sweden. The locations for the case study selection were based on Sweden and United Kingdom’s current prominence and success in fostering collaborations. The results of this study indicate that there are a number of critical aspects important during the establishment of open innovation arenas by science parks. Among these critical aspects are the selection of participants, a neutral and passive stance on formalization of contracts and IP, the creation of trust and motivation within the arena, the importance of the physical arena setting and the benefit of an arena topic area prominent amongst the surrounding participants. In addition, this study shows the importance of science parks’ neutral position, as well as the influence of the participants throughout all aspects. Based on these findings, practical and theoretical implications are presented and discussed in the paper. The key implications of this study are that science parks should play an active role to select appropriate projects and participants in order to create trust and motivation within the arena, provide a physical meeting place and access to specialized equipment that fosters communication and encourages collaboration among participants, as well as sourcing projects close to the science park’s geographical proximity. Additionally, they should choose one or more topic area and utilize networks in order to build up expertise, While science parks should play a passive role regarding formalization and IP regulations, it is important that they know how to assists the participants when requested.

The purpose of this study is to explore if monetary reward negatively affects people’s willingness to participate in crowdsourcing projects and to see how the relationship between monetary rewards and the framing of the crowdsourcing problem affects participation in crowdsourcing contests. A two-phase data collection method is used to answer these questions; a survey to identify the people who had participated in crowdsourcing projects and a focus group with the suitable candidates to discuss the research questions further. According to our findings, framing a crowdsourcing project as a good cause is not a strong enough motivation to convince people to participate in a challenge. People usually look for a benefit (financial or personal) in a challenge when deciding to participate. On the other hand, offering a reward for a crowdsourcing contest that is held for a good cause increases people’s willingness to participate. Potential participants react differently to a reward that is larger than usual. While more experienced participants feel extra motivated by large rewards, those who have less experience in crowdsourcing projects are more likely to see the large reward as a threat, decreasing their chances of winning, thus, reducing their willingness to participate in those challenges.