Open Innovation in technological SMEs Challenges and implementation
Abedah, Maher (2020)
Abedah, Maher
2020
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020051611799
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020051611799
Tiivistelmä
Open innovation as a method to share knowledge and increase creativity and innovation
was heavily used in large companies during the past decade. Then it started to spread into
SMEs and was adopted in many of those. But for technological SMEs which have fewer
resources and higher risks, open innovation was not very common as a method. Because
of its various activities and flexibility, open innovation method was described to be helpful
for tech-SMEs to assist the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for them.
This research aimed to discover the best way to adopt and implement open innovation in
technological SMEs. Also, to determine the main challenges of that adoption and
implementation. A qualitative approach was used to collect the data. Four interviews with
experts and employees in different roles were conducted. The collected data was analyzed
using content analysis method. That helped to present easy and simple results. The results
were also covering different aspects like the impact of cultural diversity in open
innovation.
The results of the research stated that more awareness needs to be raised regarding open
innovation activities and how beneficial it could be for technological SMEs. The challenges
to adopt open innovation were mainly human aspects (skilled workforce and motivation),
then comes the competition in the market and the culture of the SME. The inbound open
innovation mode was the most preferred for SMEs. Regarding implementation, the best
approach was suggested to be implementation team with supervision of senior
management. Cultural diversity was agreed to be an enforcement in adopting open
innovation and to make the culture ready to accept external ideas and innovations.one of
the needed Future research was the evaluation of open innovation process in tech-SMEs.
was heavily used in large companies during the past decade. Then it started to spread into
SMEs and was adopted in many of those. But for technological SMEs which have fewer
resources and higher risks, open innovation was not very common as a method. Because
of its various activities and flexibility, open innovation method was described to be helpful
for tech-SMEs to assist the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for them.
This research aimed to discover the best way to adopt and implement open innovation in
technological SMEs. Also, to determine the main challenges of that adoption and
implementation. A qualitative approach was used to collect the data. Four interviews with
experts and employees in different roles were conducted. The collected data was analyzed
using content analysis method. That helped to present easy and simple results. The results
were also covering different aspects like the impact of cultural diversity in open
innovation.
The results of the research stated that more awareness needs to be raised regarding open
innovation activities and how beneficial it could be for technological SMEs. The challenges
to adopt open innovation were mainly human aspects (skilled workforce and motivation),
then comes the competition in the market and the culture of the SME. The inbound open
innovation mode was the most preferred for SMEs. Regarding implementation, the best
approach was suggested to be implementation team with supervision of senior
management. Cultural diversity was agreed to be an enforcement in adopting open
innovation and to make the culture ready to accept external ideas and innovations.one of
the needed Future research was the evaluation of open innovation process in tech-SMEs.