High innovation intensity in fish farming: The role of openness in innovation and strategy

Abstract

The salmon farming industry has since its infancy witnessed immense growth due to innovations increasing productivity. A significant part of the innovations causing the productivity growth has by many observers been attributed to collaborative and open R&D-efforts. Salmon farming in Norway is very research intensive, with a large share of R&D being publicly financed, and with results widely shared and innovations widely adopted. However, in recent years there has been a shift toward an increasing share of R&D becoming privately financed, leading to more closed innovation processes. This paper explores the importance of open innovation in salmon farming and the possible consequences of more closed innovation. The paper shows that openness of the innovations depends on the type of challenge and stakeholder. Innovation is at its most open when common challenges are addressed, like finding solutions for parasites and diseases. Innovation in salmon farming tends to become more closed as the industry consolidates, the larger the firm is and the closer to the market innovation takes place.