In today’s dynamic corporate environment where firms struggle to maintain a competitive advantage, ambidextrous firms focusing on both exploration and exploitation are more likely to survive and prosper in the long run. Scholars have identified and examined a number of antecedents of organizational ambidexterity, but extant studies have not fully explored the role of a firm’s absorptive capacity in developing its organizational ambidexterity. The relevance of the absorptive capacity concept is paramount since new sources of competitive advantage would very likely come from outside the organizations. In this research, I explore the relationship between a firm’s absorptive capacity and organizational ambidexterity by focusing on two levels of absorptive capacity and three dimensions of organizational ambidexterity. Using a survey of 5,600 companies performed by the Government of Chile in 2015, and then a subsample of panel data that includes 760 companies for the 2009-2014 period, I find that both strategic and operational absorptive capacity contribute to the incremental exploitation dimension of organizational ambidexterity. My study contributes to our understanding of the absorptive capacity construct and illuminates how it affects organizational ambidexterity. The study also provides managerial implications as to what kind of external knowledge to procure and how to leverage it based on the firm’s ambidexterity goals. / Business Administration/Strategic Management

Yes / This paper examines the relationship between open innovation (OI) practices (inbound and coupled) and innovation performance in service firms. Specifically, it invokes a dynamic capabilities perspective to propose the differential moderating effects of two forms of reconfiguration capabilities, strategic reconfiguration capability (SRC) and operational reconfiguration capability (ORC), on the focal relationship. Based on a sample of service sector firms drawn from the UK Community Innovation Survey, our analysis shows the positive combinative effects of SRC and coupled OI on radical innovation outcomes and those of ORC and coupled OI on incremental innovation outcomes. The findings of differential moderating effects underscore the need to assess the boundary conditions within which OI positively impacts on innovation outcomes and offer insights to managers on the importance of strategic and operational reconfiguration capabilities for achieving better innovation outcomes from OI practices.

Die Zukunft liegt bereits heute schon im Internet der Dinge, Daten, Dienste und Personen. Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT) beeinflussen vermehrt die alltäglichen Abläufe, übernehmen im Ernstfall lebenserhaltende Körperfunktionen, unterstützen Arbeits- und Produktionsprozesse und halten Einzug in unsere Wohnbereiche. Dabei rückt der Gedanke einer anwendungsnahen und integrierten Sicht von Software zunehmend in den Vordergrund und verlangt deshalb interdisziplinäre Ansätze. Eine frühzeitige technische Abstimmung zwischen Soft- und Hardware sowie unterschiedlichen technischen Öko-Systemen wird dabei notwendiger und fordert Politik, Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft in gleichem Maße. Das Innovationsforum open4INNOVATION2012 am 9.Mai bot dazu Praktikern und Akademikern eine Plattform für den interdisziplinären und fachbereichsübergreifenden Austausch zu neuen und anwendungsnahen IKT-Ansätzen. Unter dem Motto regional kooperativ, global innovativ galt es dabei regional politische, wirtschaftliche und wissenschaftliche Kompetenzen zu bündeln, um globale Märkte erfolgreich zu bestreiten. In dem vorliegenden Tagungsband finden Sie die Beiträge des Fachforums, welches ein Hauptformat der Veranstaltung darstellte. Zusätzlich kam es auf dem Innovationsforum open4INNOVATION2012 erstmals zur aktiven Vernetzung sächsischer Forschergruppen, deren wissenschaftlicher Schwerpunkt die Robotik ist. Auf diesem ersten sächsischen Robotertreffen stand vor allem die Arbeit mit humanoiden Robotern im Mittelpunkt.

Nutzer bei der Entwicklung und Gestaltung neuer Produkte oder Dienstleistungen zu integrieren, wird seit einigen Jahren unter dem Begriff „Open Innovation“ diskutiert und ist für viele Unternehmen heutzutage selbstverständlich. Ob und wie diese offenen Innovationsprozesse in wissenschaftlichen Organisationen einsetzbar sind, ist bisher wenig erforscht. Dieser Beitrag erläutert am Fallbeispiel eines Lehrstuhls, wie Open Innovation im Rahmen einer strategischen Neuaufstellung eingesetzt werden kann. In vier Phasen erarbeiten die Mitarbeiter auf einer offenen Innovationsplattform die zukünftige Ausrichtung des Lehrstuhls.

With the transition from closed to open innovation in recent years, the next trend for companies has been to bring in new ideas from external stakeholders using innovation tools, known as Open Innovation Software (OIS). The most common type of OIS, called idea management systems, allows participants to submit, evaluate, and engage in discussions around ideas. However, implementing software to support innovation is not a sure success and potential problems may arise. The purpose of this thesis is to research problems within features in current idea management systems, and to provide guidelines that suggest ways that may eliminate or reduce the impact of the particular problems. Interviews were conducted with representatives from five different idea management systems. The respondents demonstrated their systems, which made it possible to gather features and to learn about problems that exist in these systems. Five problems within features were found; these were related to engagement, duplicates, idea evaluation, complexity, and bias. Numerous recommendations regarding how the impact of these problems may be reduced have been identified. The findings of this thesis show that Problems with engagement is best dealt with using features that delivers better feedback in order to give more motivation to the participants. As for managing duplicates, it is recommended to implement a feature that suggests similar ideas during the idea submission phase. It was found that allowing users to have an unlimited amount of votes should be avoided. To prevent bias, managers should be careful of having features that displays idea ratings before users have casted their vote, features that allow users to edit their casted vote unless an idea has been edited,  and  for instance features that show ideas in order of popularity.

Die Zukunft liegt bereits heute schon im Internet der Dinge, Daten, Dienste und Personen. Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT) beeinflussen vermehrt die alltäglichen Abläufe, übernehmen im Ernstfall lebenserhaltende Körperfunktionen, unterstützen Arbeits- und Produktionsprozesse und halten Einzug in unsere Wohnbereiche. Dabei rückt der Gedanke einer anwendungsnahen und integrierten Sicht von Software zunehmend in den Vordergrund und verlangt deshalb interdisziplinäre Ansätze. Eine frühzeitige technische Abstimmung zwischen Soft- und Hardware sowie unterschiedlichen technischen Öko-Systemen wird dabei notwendiger und fordert Politik, Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft in gleichem Maße. Das Innovationsforum open4INNOVATION2012 am 9.Mai bot dazu Praktikern und Akademikern eine Plattform für den interdisziplinären und fachbereichsübergreifenden Austausch zu neuen und anwendungsnahen IKT-Ansätzen. Unter dem Motto regional kooperativ, global innovativ galt es dabei regional politische, wirtschaftliche und wissenschaftliche Kompetenzen zu bündeln, um globale Märkte erfolgreich zu bestreiten. In dem vorliegenden Tagungsband finden Sie die Beiträge des Fachforums, welches ein Hauptformat der Veranstaltung darstellte. Zusätzlich kam es auf dem Innovationsforum open4INNOVATION2012 erstmals zur aktiven Vernetzung sächsischer Forschergruppen, deren wissenschaftlicher Schwerpunkt die Robotik ist. Auf diesem ersten sächsischen Robotertreffen stand vor allem die Arbeit mit humanoiden Robotern im Mittelpunkt.

開放式模式創新已成為近年來最重要的創新議題之一，相關的研究與案例不勝枚舉。創新除了可以向外部資源開放外，組織也能透過內部資源整合，改變現在的經營狀態。 本研究以研華科技IMAX開放式創新機制為個案，探索企業進行開放式創新的目的，還有運作的情況。此機制融合內外部資源整合的概念，重新詮釋開放式創新的意義。透過分析五個成功子案例的策略作法，歸納如何提高機制運作的成效。 調查結果顯示，競爭思維在開放式創新中佔有舉足輕重的地位，開放不僅只是為了交換資源，或是為了妥善運用企業的閒置資源。本文列舉開放式創新的五種策略作法，說明如何利用開放式創新突破競爭局勢，扭轉現有資源，改變狀態。 / Open innovation is amount the most popular concepts on entrepreneurial studies. Through open innovative processes, organization can transform its operation dynamics by stimulating idle resources, integrating internal resources and introducing external resources. However, researches have not elaborated how various open innovation process can be better performed in a real world scenario. By conducting in-depth case studies on IMAX, an open innovation instrument of Advantech Co., Ltd, I show that competitive context of a market can shape how resources are effectuated along an open innovative process. Through five case studies within Advantech Co., Ltd, they demonstrate how open innovation can: (1) redefine resources; (2) create asymmetry; and (3) turn the table of competition.

Open innovation is a new research line that emerges from a new industrial organization of research, development and innovation (R,D&I): after a period of vertical integration and accumulation, economy seems to walk towards a more plain level with lesser barriers to new entrants due to a new scenario of collaboration and knowledge dissemination. In this new mindset, firms can and should use external ideas as well as internal ideas, and internal and external paths to market, as firms look to advance in their technologies. The general goal of this research project is to analyze the depth and the impact of open innovation practices, as well as to identify patterns of their integration to the product development process (PDP) with focus on aerospace, a traditional high-tech segment within the metal-mechanic sector. For such, a reference model is elaborated and analyzed in two different contexts, in comparison study between Brazilian (emerging economy) and Canadian (developed economy) industries, more specifically the aerospace clusters in São Paulo and Quebec. The research comprises an aerospace market analysis, as well as the study of both countries national systems of innovation, supported by a survey that measures the intensity and importance of open innovation in Brazilian and Canadian aerospace companies plants. The survey is carried out by means of in-company questionnaire-based face interviews with R&D managers. The sample of analysis comprises a total of 53 aerospace plants, 22 of them in Brazil and 31 in Canada. Through a descriptive analysis of survey data, it is possible to identify similarities and differences in the patterns of open innovation in the two clusters. Among the similarities one highlights the focus on the product, the early involvement of customers in the PDP, the strategies adopted regarding intellectual property (IP) protection, the concentration of collaborative arrangements within the boundaries of the aerospace industry and the low intensity use of pecuniary tools, such as venture capital, spin-offs and/or acquisitions. Among the differences, Canada stands out with respect to its innovation public policies and assistance programs, which are found to be more effective in relation to Brazilian policies. Besides, Canadian plants seem to have a better innovative performance, at the cutting edge of aerospace technologies and higher international relevance. The survey also finds that the intensities of openness in Brazil and Canada are quite similar, although the patterns and motivations differ: Brazilian plants are more engaged in providing R&D services for products of third parties under direct contract (and not within collaborative arrangements) to local customers, while Canadian plants seem to be more engaged in a wider spam of collaborative fronts in a wider geographical range. Besides, Brazilian plants are much less intense in the adoption of formal IP protection methods in relation to Canadian ones, which hinders (but not prevents) the full adoption of open innovation in the Brazilian cluster. Based on the results, this text concludes with recommendations directed to the three vertices of the triple helix in both countries, namely: enterprises, science and technology institutes and the government. / A inovação aberta é uma nova linha de pesquisa que surge a partir de nova organização industrial de pesquisa, desenvolvimento e inovação (P,D&I): após um período de verticalização, a economia parece caminhar em direção a um maior nivelamento com menores barreiras para novos entrantes em um novo cenário de colaboração e disseminação de conhecimento. Neste conceito, as empresas podem e devem usar ideias externas, assim como internas, e caminhos internos e externos para o mercado, na medida em que buscam avançar suas tecnologias. O objetivo geral deste projeto é analisar a profundidade e impacto das práticas de inovação aberta, bem como identificar padrões de sua integração ao processo de desenvolvimento de produtos (PDP) com foco na indústria aeroespacial, um segmento tradicional de alta tecnologia no setor metal-mecânico. Para tal, um modelo de referência é elaborado e avaliado em diferentes contextos, em uma comparação entre as indústrias brasileira (economia emergente) e canadense (economia desenvolvida), mais especificamente os arranjos produtivos aeroespaciais em São Paulo e Quebec. A pesquisa compreende uma análise do mercado aeroespacial, bem como o estudo dos sistemas nacionais de inovação de ambos os países, apoiados por um levantamento (survey) que mede a intensidade e a importância da inovação aberta em plantas de empresas aeroespaciais no Brasil e no Canadá. A pesquisa é realizada por meio de entrevistas presenciais em empresas com gestores de P&D, baseadas em um questionário. A amostra compreende um total de 53 plantas de empresas aeroespaciais, 22 delas no Brasil e 31 no Canadá. Através da análise descritiva dos dados da pesquisa, é possível identificar semelhanças e diferenças nos padrões de inovação aberta nos dois grupos. Entre as semelhanças destacam-se o foco no produto, o envolvimento precoce de clientes no PDP, as estratégias adotadas para proteção de propriedade intelectual (PI), a concentração de acordos colaborativos dentro dos limites da indústria aeroespacial e a baixa intensidade na utilização de ferramentas pecuniárias, tais como o capital de risco, spin-offs e/ou aquisições. Entre as diferenças, o Canadá se destaca com relação às suas políticas públicas de inovação e programas de assistência, que se mostram mais eficazes em relação aos brasileiros. Além disso, as plantas canadenses parecem ter um melhor desempenho inovador, mais próximo do estado-da-arte das tecnologias aeroespaciais e com maior relevância internacional. O levantamento também mostrou que as intensidades de abertura no Brasil e no Canadá são semelhantes, embora os padrões e motivações difiram: as plantas brasileiras estão mais envolvidas no fornecimento de serviços de P&D para produtos de terceiros sob contrato direto (e não dentro de acordos de colaboração) para clientes locais, enquanto que as plantas canadenses parecem estar engajadas em um leque mais amplo de frentes de colaboração, com maior distribuição geográfica. Além disso, as plantas brasileiras adotam com muito menor intensidade métodos formais de proteção da PI em relação às canadenses, o que dificulta (mas não impede) a adoção plena da inovação aberta no cluster brasileiro. Com base nos resultados, o texto conclui com recomendações dirigidas aos três vértices da hélice tripla em ambos os países, a saber: empresas, institutos de ciência e tecnologia e governo.

Vorliegender Leitfaden ist eines der Ergebnisse des Forschungsprojekts „Open Innovation in Life Sciences“ (OIL), das von Mai 2008 bis April 2011 an der Universität Potsdam durchgeführt wurde. Er nimmt für sich in Anspruch, gerade Innovationsmanager in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) der Pharmaindustrie bei der Einführung des Open Innovation Managements zu unterstützen. Zielsetzung des Forschungsprojekts war es, (1) die Chancen und Risiken von Open Innovation unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Anforderungen von Pharma-KMU zu analysieren und (2) daraus abgeleitet ein Konzept zur Implementierung von Open Innovation bei Pharma-KMU zu entwickeln. Der Ausgangspunkt des Projektes war die Erkenntnis, dass die Life Sciences-Branche im Allgemeinen und die Pharmaindustrie im Besonderen durch eine steigende Komplexität der Innovationsprozesse und eine zunehmende Tendenz zu Kooperationen gekennzeichnet ist. Vor diesem Hintergrund eröffnet gerade der Open Innovation-Ansatz für die Pharmabranche neue Gestaltungs- und damit Wachstumsmöglichkeiten. Open Innovation – definiert als die planvolle Öffnung der Innovationsprozesse und die strategische Einbindung des Unternehmensumfelds – wird dabei als zentraler Erfolgsfaktor für die Innovationsfähigkeit beschrieben. / The job title of innovation manager is a comparatively new phenomenon in innovation management. The field of responsibility spans the entire innovation process, from fundamental research, development and production, until the market launch. The competencies include technology, product, service and market orientation, and an innovation manager should have skills in both the strategic as well as the operational sphere. They direct the innovation process, cultivate both internal and external contacts and organise the communication of all persons involved. It is self-evident that these tasks – particularly in the pharmaceutical industry with its complex and long-term processes – present a considerable challenge for every innovation manager. With this in view, the following guidelines are directed primarily at innovation managers in medium sized pharmaceutical companies. The guidelines convey the knowledge and tools that enable the development of market and customer oriented products and services in the pharmaceutical industry from the very start. By means of images and descriptions it demonstrates which steps should be followed from idea generation, to project realization, until the market launch. The centerpiece is formed by the division of the innovation process into manageable, clearly defined phases, specifically tailored for the pharmaceutical industry. The guidelines particularly focus on the question of how customers, suppliers, competitors, etc. can be integrated into this process. This approach – termed open innovation in innovation management – when applied as a deliberate strategy, has the potential to reduce the costs of development and to raise the speed of passage of projects.

This dissertation consists of three independent studies - two empirical studies and one literature review - that examine different issues regarding the involvement of employees in innovation within the growing open innovation environment. In particular, I focus on the different facets and vital enablers that influence involving the general workforce in innovation, among which trust plays a critical role for their active involvement and their decision to contribute to innovation. In the first study, the focus is on a powerful set of enablers of high involvement innovation, namely; the new corporate web technologies, and their role in accelerating a wider base of collective innovation. The second study then examines the involvement of a very specialized category of the workforce in innovation which is the highly qualified external workforce. Those employees represent a rich yet underexplored resource of employee innovation. Finally, in the third study, I focus on exploring the different roles played by innovation intermediaries and argue that intermediaries could take a more active role in open innovation, through proposing the ‘trust incubator’ role. New insights coming from this thesis advance the current discussion of actively and effectively involving employees in innovation, as well as uncover important and current related issues and allow us to draw conclusions that are useful for both research and practice.