Technology Enterprise Group
Contact Details
Phone: +44 (0)1223 766141
Fax: +44 (0)1223 766400
Want to be added to our e-mailing list for news and updates? Email Tim Minshall
Centre for Technology Management,
Institute for Manufacturing,
University of Cambridge,
Mill Lane,
CAMBRIDGE CB2 1RX, UK
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Open innovation
Background
Innovation is an increasingly distributed process, involving networks of geographically dispersed players with a variety of possible – and dynamic – value chain configurations. ‘Open innovation’ is one term that has emerged to describe the use of: “[..] inflows and outflows of knowledge to accelerate internal innovation, and expand the markets for external use of innovation [..].” (Chesbrough et al., 2006). This is contrasted with the ‘closed’ model of innovation where firms typically generate their own ideas which they then develop, produce, market, distribute and support.
Implementing an open innovation strategy presents many challenges for management. Our research in this area is focused on helping companies understand and overcome these challenges. |
Recommended link:
IfM Open Innovation Blog
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Report
How to implement open innovation:
lessons from studying large multinational companies (September 2009)
This report may be downloaded (free).
You can also purchase a hard copy.
Projects
- The role of collaborations within ‘open innovation’: Our core project on open innovation is funded by Unilever R&D and is focused upon developing an understanding of the skills required to implement open innovation. Please contact Tim Minshall for more information.
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- Value creation, capture and measurement in corporate venturing : An investigation of the ways in which value is generated and measured in external corporate venturing. Please contact Johann Napp for more information.
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- Managing partnerships between large firms and start-ups: A recently completed project that sought to improve understanding of the ways in which start-ups and large firms can work together. Click here to access the outputs of this project.
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- The role of intermediaries in Technology Intelligence and Open Innovation Networks: This project builds on the previous work on TI and Open Innovation. People play a central role in TI systems. Through intermediaries a company can exponentially grow its contact base and receive interesting information about connections while deploying limited resources. Intermediaries support also but companies can be inundated with options. Many service providers are available, proposing themselves as the intermediary of choice. It can be difficult to decide with whom to collaborate. Also finding the right person within the organisation to act as an intermediary can be fundamental. This project is exploring this challenge and will provide guidelines for practitioners. The work is currently ongoing in collaboration with a consortium of industrial partners, including: BP, CIRA, Crown Cork, Doosan Babcock, EPSRC, GSK, IXC-UK, NESTA, Oakland, Pepsico, Shell. For more information on current activities, please contact Dr Letizia Mortara
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- Technology Acquisition and Protection This project started in July 2009 and extends previous work in open innovation and the make-or-buy decision. It aims to better understand issues associated with technology and IP acquisition, including the protection considerations that need to be made pre-acquisition. Click here to read a press release on the subject.
For more information please contact Simon Ford http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/people/sjf39/
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Resources
Through our research and outreach activities, we are generating and accessing resources that may be of interest to those seeking to understand and implement open innovation. These resources are accessible to different audiences through the following two routes:
- Public website: Links and references are given further down this page.
- A blog that provides commentary on the practical challenges of making open innovation work, to highlight new research outputs that help build understanding of open innovation, and to signpost events and organisations that share common interest in making open innovation work.
- Cambridge Open Innovation Network (COIN). Access restricted to firms collaborating on our research projects.Click here if you have a password to access COIN.
Further information
If you are interested in learning more about our work on open innovation, and to dicuss opportunities for collaboration, please email Tim Minshall.
Training events
A series of training events related to open innovation - particularly relating to managing partnerships between start-ups and larger firms - have been run by the IfM team in the past 12 months, and further events are planned for 2009. If you would like to be kept informed about training events and workshops in this area please email Jo Griffiths
Links and references
Open innovation papers from TEG research projects
- Mortara, L., I. Slacik, J. J. Napp and T. Minshall (In Press). Implementing open innovation (OI): Cultural issues. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management.
- Minshall, T. H. W., P. Fraser, et al. (In Press). Improving the management of 'asymmetric' partnerships. Research Technology Management.
- Mortara, L., J. Shawcross, J. Mills, J. J. Napp and T. Minshall (2009). Skills for open innovation. RADMA. Vienna 21-24 June 2009.
- Minshall, T. H. W., L. Mortara, S. Elia and D. Probert (2008). "Development of practitioner guidelines for partnerships between start-ups and large firms." Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management 19(3): 391 - 406.
- Mortara, L., T. H. W. Minshall, J. J. Napp and I. Slacik (2008). Implementing Open Innovation: cultural issues International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) 2008, 15-18 June. Tours, France.
- Minshall, T. H. W., L. Mortara and J. J. Napp (2007). Implementing Open Innovation: Challenges in Linking Strategic and Operational Factors for HTSFs Working with Large Firms. 15th High Tech Small Firms Conference, 14-15 June 2007, Manchester Business School, Manchester, UK.
- Minshall, T. H. W., L. Mortara and J. J. Napp (2007). Open innovation: Linking strategic and operational factors. R&D Management Conference 2007, 4-6th July 2007. Bremen, Germany.
- Minshall, T. H. W., S. Seldon and D. Probert (2007). "Commercializing a disruptive technology based upon university IP through open innovation: A case study of Cambridge Display Technology." International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management 4(3).
Background books and papers
A key introductory book on open innovation is:
- Chesbrough, H. (2003). Open Innovation: The new imperative for creating and profiting from technology, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA, USA
Chesbrough presents an overview of the paradigm change from closed to open in the article:
- Chesbrough, H. (2003). "The Era of Open Innovation." MIT Sloan Management Review 44(3): 35-41.
Three articles describing concepts for the implementation of open innovation are:
- Witzeman, S., G. Slowinski, et al. (2006). "Harnessing External Technology for Innovation." Research Technology Management 49(3): 19-27.
- Kirschbaum, R. (2005). "Open Innovation in Practice." Research Technology Management 48(4): 24-28.
- van de Vrande, V., C. Lemmens, et al. (2006). "Choosing Governance Modes for External Technology Sourcing." R&D Management 36(3): 247-363.
For general summary of open-innovation see:
- Docherty, M. (2006). "Primer on "Open Innovation ": Principles and Practice." pdma (Product Development and Management Association) Vision (April 2006): 13-17.
Links
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