An optimized model for open innovation success in manufacturing SMES

Abstract

Given the fluctuations in markets and the financial and resource constraints of SMEs, innovation is one of the solutions for improving performance, gaining competitive advantage and increasing survival probability for these companies. The paper aims to determine the best ranking of effective factors in open innovation success in manufacturing SMEs. At the first stage, the most important factors investigated using structural equation modelling based on the opinion of 275 experts. Subsequently, the impact level of each factor on the others calculated by fuzzy DEMATEL among 12 specialists' viewpoints. In the end, optimized ranking of studied factors obtained by Ant Colony Optimization algorithm. As a result, economic factors, suppliers, competitors, partners, firm's strategy, firm's structure, reward system, employees, IT support, organizational learning, universities, research institutions, and ecological issues hold the first to the thirteenth rank with the highest cumulative impact on open innovation success. Developing relations with universities and research institutions for improving innovation process is recommended to manufacturing SMEs. In addition, these companies should coordinate firm's strategy as one of the most important open innovation success factors with partners to gain competitive advantages against competitors.