Practical evidence of web-based idea management systems: Classification and application

Abstract

Multiple information systems have been developed during the last decade to gain more from collaboration, knowledge management and ideas. One type of such tools is the idea management systems (IMS)-a manageable systematic tool to generate and evaluate ideas. However, there is a lack of research which explores what web-based IMS are, and how they materialize practically. To fill the gap, the paper aims to create classification and application description of webbased IMS by adapting the theoretical and empirical research approaches. To achieve this aim, first, scientific papers, book chapters, and proceedings focused on the idea management and IMS were analyzed using a systematic literature review method and content analysis technique. Based on the analyses, several possible classifications of IMS criteria were found. Second, commercially available web-based IMS evaluation was conducted to verify the criteria and to add data-based classification criteria. Analysis of IMS has helped to characterize parities and disparities of web-based IMS. Results prove that IMS could be classified by their application focus-as 'active' and 'passive'. Dominant type is the active IMS. IMS could also be classified by the sources involved in the idea management-internal, external or mixed IMS. The main structural features of the web-based IMS are idea generation, idea evaluation, and idea retention. Results prove that there are no important differences between theoretical and empirical research results.