Interorganizational Networks and Open Innovation Environments

Abstract

This paper examines the formation, structuring and internal dynamics of networks in an open innovation environment. Based on a case study conducted at the Creapolis Innovation Centre in Spain, it highlights the significance of several paradoxes which emerge from the interaction between organizations that share an open environment. These paradoxes have been shown to compromise the stability and performance of an effective innovation network and to represent a double-edged sword that may both facilitate and constrain the development of the innovative capacities of firms. This paper stresses the importance of a deeper understanding of such critical issues, and suggests mechanisms for creating and facilitating an appropriate and effective open innovation environment, in which knowledge is shared and exchanged between innovation actors.