Open Innovation research: trends and influences – a bibliometric analysis

António Bob Santos

doi:10.24840/2183-0606_003.002_0010

António Bob Santos

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.24840/2183-0606_003.002_0010

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Abstract

In this paper, a bibliometric analysis about open innovation research is developed, covering the period of 2003-2013 (using the Scopus database) and carried out in three steps: 1) characterization of the research on the main trends of open innovation; 2) analysis of the theoretical influence on the open innovation research; 3) analysis of the influence of open innovation literature on other research areas and disciplines. The main conclusions are: open innovation research is mostly focused on the analysis of the U.S.A. and European countries reality; analysis by time periods shows an increase on the number of target countries and regions of open innovation research; the origins of open innovation were influenced by several areas of economics and management, developed over the last decades; there is a lack of research regarding open innovation outside the firm environment, such as in clusters/networks, innovation systems, public policies or at individual level; open innovation research is influencing a growing number of areas outside business, management and engineering; new research methodologies should be used by open innovation scholars in order to deepen the existing knowledge.

Highlights

The topic of open innovation has been one of the most discussed ones within the innovation management literature, receiving increasing attention in areas such as economics, psychology, sociology and culture (Huizingh, 2011)
Having started by observing cases of multinational companies located in the U.S, mainly in high-tech sectors, open innovation research has received a growing attention over the years, extending its geographical and research scope of analysis
This paper aims at contributing to that end

Summary

Introduction

The topic of open innovation has been one of the most discussed ones within the innovation management literature, receiving increasing attention in areas such as economics, psychology, sociology and culture (Huizingh, 2011). Scholars have acknowledged the growing importance of the collaboration of firms with external partners, the access to external networks, the incorporation of ideas and knowledge from various sources (internal and external), as well as the development of business models better suited for a more open reality in the innovation process (Chesbrough, 2006; Teece, 2007). This approach places external ideas and external paths to market on the same level of importance as that reserved for internal ideas and paths to market during the Closed Innovation Era.” (Chesbrough, 2003, p.43)

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