The Influence of International Knowledge and Skills and Firm Internationalization on Open Innovation

Abstract

This chapter studies the effect of international knowledge and skills and firm internationalization on inbound, coupled and outbound open innovation. Individual international knowledge and skills and firm internationalization are used as proxies for openness, which supports and enlarges the existing knowledge capabilities. Individuals and organizations are more capable to find and adopt solutions for innovation obstacles from the external sources when international knowledge and skills are present. The empirical analysis supported the influence of (1) individual international knowledge and skills on firm internationalization, (2) individual international knowledge and skills on inbound, coupled and outbound open innovation, (3) firm internationalization on inbound and outbound open innovation and (4) the mediating effect of firm internationalization on the relationship between individual international knowledge and skills and open innovation was not confirmed. Although individual and firm internationalization implies openness, firm internationalization does not mediate the relationship between the individual openness to open innovation. Knowledge is acquired and implemented directly on the individual level and projected onto project team level. Teams do not need to go through organizational routines to implement open innovation.