Volkswagen: Open foresight at the front end of research innovation

Abstract

With the aim of fostering open foresight at the front end of research innovation, Volkswagen set up a project that combined the approaches of open innovation/crowdsourcing and strategy development based on scenario thinking. As a first step, four scenarios for the future and corresponding strategic options were developed and served as a framework for 'wind tunneling' Volkswagen's existing innovation strategy. These white spots served as a starting point for further discussion and development with the intention of identifying promising fields of future innovation. The so-called 'information market' - an online-based real-time trading market - was the method of choice for reaching this target. Experts from all departments of Volkswagen Group Research were invited to take part in the information market to share their knowledge. The project showed that the approach of combining open innovation and foresight is able to serve both the long-term strategic requirements of a large organization and the more short-term need of fostering innovation.