Open innovation: Are inbound and outbound knowledge flows really complementary?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Cassiman, Bruno; Valentini, Giovanni
• 署名单位: University of Navarra; IESE Business School; Bocconi University; Bocconi University
• 刊物名称: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0143-2095
• DOI: 10.1002/smj.2375
• 发表日期: 2016
• 页码: 1034-1046
• 关键词: OPEN INNOVATION; research & development; INNOVATION; Licensing; technology acquisition; COMPLEMENTARITY

摘要

One novel implication of the open innovation paradigm is that inflows and outflows of knowledge are complementary. We argue that engaging simultaneously in buying and selling knowledge should allow firms to increase innovation outcomes. At the same time, we identify some of the relevant costs (cognitive, transaction, and organizational costs) that open firms can reduce by combining knowledge inflows and outflows. Empirically, however, we find no evidence for such complementarity in a sample of Belgian manufacturing firms. Firms buying and selling knowledge do increase their sales of new products, but at the same time their R&D costs increase more than proportionally. Our findings, therefore, indicate the need for research into a better understanding of the drivers of actual costs of organizing for open innovation. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.