Search in open innovation: How does it evolve with the facilitation of information technology?

Abstract

As a cornerstone of open innovations' success, the work of external search has been altered by the advancement in information technologies (ITs). This study depicts the IT-induced evolution of open search patterns in two case firms. While three patterns were observed in both firms, they took different trajectories of open search pattern change due to the different enabling roles of ITs. ITs were found to serve as an amplifier and a catalyst to induce different trajectories. This study contributes to the literature by unveiling the process of open search evolution including identifying different open search patterns and the roles of ITs. The managerial lessons learned from the two case firms can be applied by other firms. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.