Open innovation platforms are a tool to solve sustainability challenges through innovation. These platforms facilitate the collaboration among diverse stakeholders, which is challenging but necessary to solve complex sustainability challenges. However, there is little research on how to design open innovation platforms to support collaboration and feedback from platform members is needed to understand their viewpoints. The study aims to understand the perceived benefits and challenges of participants from sustainability-oriented open innovation platforms. Based on this, the study intends to provide guidance for designing these platforms to increase the benefits for its participants. To understand the different viewpoints better, a qualitative research design in the form of a case study was chosen. Data was collected from interviews with participants from the open innovation platform Climate-KIC and analysed with the help of the Framework method. The results emphasise that open innovation platforms must support their participants throughout the whole open innovation process. Special attention must be paid to the diversity of the participants that require different support from the platform based on their maturity level.

This working paper was developed with the intention to provide a guideline for participatory analysis and development of commercial forest product value chains, in the context of developing countries. Basically, it was designed for identification and implementation of interventions or upgrading measures for the improvement of commercial forest product (Bamboo, Natural gum and resin, and Gum Arabic) value chains in Ethiopia and Sudan within the framework of a collaborative research project - CHAnces IN Sustainability: promoting natural resource based product chains in East Africa (CHAINS). The PIP instrument could also be applied for other commercial non-timber forest products (NTFPs), by adjusting to the local contexts and environments. It can be an important guide for value chain analysts, especially in the process of designing and verifying upgrading actions through the application of tools like interviewing actors, group discussions, or facilitated workshops. This working paper particularly provides: - Background information on basic concepts of value chain analysis and development; - Review of methodological frameworks for participatory value chain analysis and development; - Practical details for participatory value chain analysis as implemented by the CHAINS project, including checklists, diagrams, and tools used in the participatory process; - Critical reflection on the practical application of the approach / Das als Leitfaden gestaltete Arbeitspapier beschreibt Schritt für Schritt das Vorgehen bei der Implementierung von ‚Participative Innovation Platforms‘ (PIP). Das PIP Methodenpaket zur partizipativen Analyse und Entwicklung von Wertschöpfungsketten in Entwicklungsländern wird an Beispielen von kommerziellen Nichtholz-Waldprodukten aus Trockenwäldern Ostafrikas erklärt und gibt praktische Unterstützung zur Durchführung der PIP Workshops mit dem Ziel, Aktivitäten und Interventionen für Innovationen mit Relevanz für die gesamte Wertschöpfungskette gemeinsam mit den beteiligten Akteuren zu vereinbaren. Das PIP Konzept wurde im Rahmen des entwicklungsorientierten Forschungsprojekts CHAINS (CHAnces IN Sustainability: promoting natural resource based product chains in East Africa) entwickelt, um Bambus -, Weihrauch- und Gummi arabicum Wertschöpfungsketten in Äthiopien und dem Sudan zu verbessern. Das PIP Instrument stellt die Akteure in den Mittelpunkt und kann deshalb sehr flexibel auch für andere Produkte angewendet werden. Der Leitfaden bietet: - Hintergrundinformationen zum Konzept von Wertschöpfungsketten; - Einführung in den methodischen Rahmen für partizipative Analyse und Entwicklung von Wertschöpfungsketten; - Praktische Anleitung für die partizipative Analyse von Wertschöpfungsketten nach dem im CHAINS Projekt entwickelten Methodenpaket, einschließlich Checklisten, Diagrammen und Methoden; - Kritische Reflektion zu Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des PIP Methodenpakets.

This working paper was developed with the intention to provide a guideline for participatory analysis and development of commercial forest product value chains, in the context of developing countries. Basically, it was designed for identification and implementation of interventions or upgrading measures for the improvement of commercial forest product (Bamboo, Natural gum and resin, and Gum Arabic) value chains in Ethiopia and Sudan within the framework of a collaborative research project - CHAnces IN Sustainability: promoting natural resource based product chains in East Africa (CHAINS). The PIP instrument could also be applied for other commercial non-timber forest products (NTFPs), by adjusting to the local contexts and environments. It can be an important guide for value chain analysts, especially in the process of designing and verifying upgrading actions through the application of tools like interviewing actors, group discussions, or facilitated workshops. This working paper particularly provides: - Background information on basic concepts of value chain analysis and development; - Review of methodological frameworks for participatory value chain analysis and development; - Practical details for participatory value chain analysis as implemented by the CHAINS project, including checklists, diagrams, and tools used in the participatory process; - Critical reflection on the practical application of the approach:1. About the working paper 7 1.1. Purpose 7 1.2. Structure of the working paper 8 2. Introduction 9 2.1. Background: value chains 9 2.2. Background: Participative Innovation Platforms 12 2.3. The context 13 2.4. Overview of the CHAINS project 14 3. Methodological approach of PIP 16 3.1. Ownership and effect 16 3.2. Stages and roles 18 3.3. Diagnostic survey 21 3.3.1. Planning the diagnostic surveys 22 3.3.2. Conducting the diagnostic surveys 24 4. PIP workshops 26 4.1.1. The workshop contents 27 4.1.2. Selection of participants 28 4.1.3. Identification of facilitators 30 4.2. The workshop sessions 32 4.2.1. Schedule of PIP workshop 32 4.2.2. Preparatory session 33 4.2.3. Session 1: Welcome and Introductory 34 4.2.4. Session 2: Vetting of the survey results and detailed VC analysis 35 4.2.5. Session 3: Identification and analysis of critical points 37 4.2.6. Session 4: Identification and analysis of possible solutions 45 4.2.7. Session 5: Development and selection of upgrading strategies 46 4.2.8. Workshop evaluation and documentation 50 5. Limits of the PIP – a critical reflection 50 6. References 52 / Das als Leitfaden gestaltete Arbeitspapier beschreibt Schritt für Schritt das Vorgehen bei der Implementierung von ‚Participative Innovation Platforms‘ (PIP). Das PIP Methodenpaket zur partizipativen Analyse und Entwicklung von Wertschöpfungsketten in Entwicklungsländern wird an Beispielen von kommerziellen Nichtholz-Waldprodukten aus Trockenwäldern Ostafrikas erklärt und gibt praktische Unterstützung zur Durchführung der PIP Workshops mit dem Ziel, Aktivitäten und Interventionen für Innovationen mit Relevanz für die gesamte Wertschöpfungskette gemeinsam mit den beteiligten Akteuren zu vereinbaren. Das PIP Konzept wurde im Rahmen des entwicklungsorientierten Forschungsprojekts CHAINS (CHAnces IN Sustainability: promoting natural resource based product chains in East Africa) entwickelt, um Bambus -, Weihrauch- und Gummi arabicum Wertschöpfungsketten in Äthiopien und dem Sudan zu verbessern. Das PIP Instrument stellt die Akteure in den Mittelpunkt und kann deshalb sehr flexibel auch für andere Produkte angewendet werden. Der Leitfaden bietet: - Hintergrundinformationen zum Konzept von Wertschöpfungsketten; - Einführung in den methodischen Rahmen für partizipative Analyse und Entwicklung von Wertschöpfungsketten; - Praktische Anleitung für die partizipative Analyse von Wertschöpfungsketten nach dem im CHAINS Projekt entwickelten Methodenpaket, einschließlich Checklisten, Diagrammen und Methoden; - Kritische Reflektion zu Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des PIP Methodenpakets.:1. About the working paper 7 1.1. Purpose 7 1.2. Structure of the working paper 8 2. Introduction 9 2.1. Background: value chains 9 2.2. Background: Participative Innovation Platforms 12 2.3. The context 13 2.4. Overview of the CHAINS project 14 3. Methodological approach of PIP 16 3.1. Ownership and effect 16 3.2. Stages and roles 18 3.3. Diagnostic survey 21 3.3.1. Planning the diagnostic surveys 22 3.3.2. Conducting the diagnostic surveys 24 4. PIP workshops 26 4.1.1. The workshop contents 27 4.1.2. Selection of participants 28 4.1.3. Identification of facilitators 30 4.2. The workshop sessions 32 4.2.1. Schedule of PIP workshop 32 4.2.2. Preparatory session 33 4.2.3. Session 1: Welcome and Introductory 34 4.2.4. Session 2: Vetting of the survey results and detailed VC analysis 35 4.2.5. Session 3: Identification and analysis of critical points 37 4.2.6. Session 4: Identification and analysis of possible solutions 45 4.2.7. Session 5: Development and selection of upgrading strategies 46 4.2.8. Workshop evaluation and documentation 50 5. Limits of the PIP – a critical reflection 50 6. References 52

La mondialisation, l'adaptation au besoin du consommateur, le lancement de nouveaux produits présentent des défis permanents et rendent l'innovation un axe stratégique pour réussir sur le marché. Ces exigences ont crée une demande croissante pour repenser le processus d'innovation et plus particulièrement la gestion des projets innovants à travers la mise en place de plateformes d'innovation. Cela revient à créer des équipes dédiées à l'innovation et dont les membres impliqués et disposant de connaissances transversales sont capables de les partager pour innover. Ce travail doctoral cherche à examiner et identifier le rôle du partage des connaissances entre les membres de plateformes d'innovation dans l'élaboration d'un processus d'innovation et répond par conséquentà la problématique : Comment le partage des connaissances au sein des plateformes d'innovation favorise t-il l'émergence des innovations ? En examinant le phénomène du partage des connaissances sous l'angle d'une articulation entre management de l'innovation et management des connaissances, cette recherche se base sur l'approche par les connaissances de la firme, où les pratiques cognitives et sociales jouent un rôle important pour l'innovation. A travers une recherche qualitative, trois études de cas ont été menées au sein des trois plateformes d'innovation d'un groupe leader du secteur agroalimentaire en Tunisie. Nous avons pu identifier les dispositifs organisationnels qui influencent les interactions entre les membres impliqués au sein des plateformes d'innovation. L'examen approfondi des pratiques de chacune des plateformes d'innovation étudiée nous a permis d'observer les phénomènes suivants.Bien que la mise en place des plateformes d'innovation s'inscrive dans une stratégie managériale centrée sur l'innovation et fait référence à un modèle de base, les pratiques de chaque plateforme d'innovation est spécifique. Au-delà du caractère transversal de leur structure, les plateformes d'innovation apparaissent comme une formule relativement souple que chaque entreprise du groupe s'approprie et adapte à son contexte et ses contraintes. Dans les trois cas étudiés, le partage des connaissances s'appréhende comme une approche organisationnelle et technologique ayant pour but la mise en commun et l'intégration des connaissances entre les membres d'une plateforme d'innovation pour innover. L'intérêt de cette approche n'est pas basé sur la connaissance en soi mais sur « Qui » la détient et « Comment » la partage au sein de la plateforme d'innovation. Finalement, deux éléments ont permis de mieux appréhender le partage des connaissances : le management stratégique et la culture d'entreprise. Les enseignements que l'on tire de l'étude de ces plateformes d'innovation étudiées, c'est quand il y a action délibérée pour instaurer une démarche d'innovation fondée sur le partage des connaissances, cette action devient une épisode critique de la vie de l'organisation dans la mesure où elle remet en jeu l'équilibre des pouvoirs, suscite l'enthousiasme de certains acteurs et la méfiance d'autres. Cette thèse, avec les trois plateformes d'innovation étudiées, ne touche pas qu'au niveau culturel des pratiques de partage des connaissances, mais touche aussi au niveau identitaire. La thèse défendue est la suivante : le partage des connaissances entre les membres des plateformes d'innovation impacte l'émergence des innovations au sein des entreprises étudiées. En termes de contribution managériale, nous considérons que le partage des connaissances au sein des plateformes d'innovation est un levier d'action stratégique pour les démarches d'innovation. / The globalization, the adaptation to the consumer needs, the creation of new products represent permanent challenges to promote the market demand and make the innovation a strategic axis to approach. These requirements have enhanced an increasing necessity to rethink about the process of innovation and more particularly the management of the innovative projects through the implementation of innovation platforms. Team work is dedicated to the innovation where the involved members have transverse knowledge and are capable of sharing them to innovate.This doctoral approach tries to examine and to identify the role of the sharing knowledge between the members of innovation platforms in the elaboration of aninnovation process. It deals withthe following problematic: howthe sharing knowledgewithin the innovation platforms favour the emergence of innovations ? By examining the phenomenon of the knowledge sharing taking into consideration an articulation between innovation management and knowledge management,this research digs deep into the Knowledge-based View of the firm, where the cognitive and social practices play an important role for the innovation. Through a qualitative research, three case studies were led within three innovation platforms of a leader group for food industry sector in Tunisia. We were able to identify the organizational devices which influence the interactions between the members involved within the innovation platforms. The deep examination of the practices of each innovation platform allowed us to observe the following phenomena: although the implementation of the innovation platformsis linked to the managerial strategy based on innovation and makes a reference toa basic model, the practices of every platform of innovation is specific. Beyond the transverse quality of their structure, the innovation platforms appear as a relatively flexible formula that every enterprise of the groupcan appropriate and adapt it to its context and its constraints. In the three case studies, the knowledge sharing appears as an organizational and technological approach aiming at sharing and integrating the knowledge between the members of an innovation platform to innovate. The interest of this approach is not based on the knowledge in itself but on "Who" detains it and "How" it is shared within the innovation platform. Finally, two elements allowed to a better understandingof the knowledge sharing: the strategic management and the corporate culture. Our study on the innovation platforms shows that when there is a deliberate action to establish an initiativeof innovation based on the knowledge sharing, this action becomes crucialto the life of the organization as far as it can question its balance of power, arouses the enthusiasm of certain actors and the distrust of others. This thesis, with its three case studiesof innovation platforms, does not only ponder on the cultural level concerning the practices of knowledge sharing but also tacklesthe identity level. The praxis is the following one: the knowledge sharing between the members of the innovation platforms enhances the emergence of the innovations within the companies under study. In terms of the managerial contribution, we consider that the knowledge sharing within the innovation platforms represents anevolving strategic action for the innovation initiatives.