Authors: Mika Westerlund; Seppo Leminen
Abstract
The concept of open innovation is getting increasingly popular. Unlike the traditional innovation models, it builds on innovation activity where customers and users proactively co-develop products and services with companies. The benefits of open innovation are claimed to include improved user value and innovation performance. However, previous literature predominantly considers firm‟ s innovation development options as either closed or open. In this paper, we focus on the “grey area” between these options and investigate the alternatives of innovation co-creation from the perspective of firms‟ involving users into their innovation development. Based on an empirical research we identify four distinct modes of creating innovations with customer and user networks. Using excerpts from interviews, we describe these diverse and evolutionary modes, illustrate customers‟ and users‟ roles in each phase, and discuss the organizational challenges that a firm faces in entering the phases.
Keywords: Open innovation, Co-creation, Living labs
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Conference: Glasgow, Scotland (2011)