Open innovation: Enhancing theory and practice by integrating the role of innovation communication

Abstract

Firms aim to foster open forms of innovation by collaborating with external partners, e.g., suppliers, customers or firms operating in foreign industries, in order to gain a competitive advantage. At the same time, there is no unique role model of how to realize the potential of open innovation in terms of systematically addressing the external resources. Based on survey data and multiple case study researches, we suggest that more attention should be directed toward a strategic application of innovation communication. We draw on open innovation literature and relational based view to investigate how distinct innovation communication assists a holistic (in terms of breadth and depth) open innovation approach. Our findings illustrate that firms can foster open innovation visibility, partner acquisition, and relationship management through systematic innovation communication. Furthermore, the results reveal how distinct aspects such as timing of communication during the innovation process, the communication channels and corresponding target groups constitute the idiosyncratic open innovation approach. The content of communication, however, is mostly similar to that of firms with a restrained open innovation approach. Accordingly, the findings of our study enhance understanding of how firms can benefit from distinct innovation communication in terms of open innovation.