Standardization as open innovation: two cases from the mobile industry

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to introduce standardization as a neutral arena for open innovation. The aim is to show that different policies towards open membership in standardization initiatives lead to different open innovation processes.Design/methodology/approachTwo cases are used to illustrate the differences in open innovation processes. The cases are the Android mobile operating system and the service platform developed by the Open Mobile Alliance. The core process types introduced by Gassmann and Enkel are used to show the different open innovation approaches.FindingsBoth cases use open innovation to create standards. Open membership leads to a coupled process, while a more restricted membership gives separate inside‐out and outside‐in processes. The case lead by established firms in the industry has a process where radical innovations are introduced early in the process, while the case lead by newcomers has a process where radical innovations are introduced late in the process. The two cases have different approaches towards commercialization of the products. Android relies on third‐party developers, while the Open Mobile Alliance relies on their own members.Research limitations/implicationsThe cases are from the telecommunication sector and based on standardization of large technical platforms. The findings might not be the same for other sectors.Originality/valueThe paper establishes open innovation as a neutral arena for open innovation outside the domain of any single firm. It shows how the openness towards membership influences the choice of open innovation processes.