Abstract
This paper examines the practice of open innovation by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the food industry. We adopted a multiple case study approach and conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with four food SMEs in the Flanders region of Belgium. The results of the analysis show that food SMEs practice open innovation mostly through inbound open innovation activities rather than outbound, mainly due to lack of sufficient resources. Food SMEs typically lack sufficient financial capital, technology, and human capital. Within inbound open innovation activities, collaboration with organizations is found to be a key element for food SMEs’ internal development and innovation of new products.
Highlights
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in national economies by generating employment opportunities and are important contributors to value creation as well as innovation (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2017)
The results of the analysis show that food SMEs practice open innovation mostly through inbound open innovation activities rather than outbound, mainly due to lack of sufficient resources
We found that SMEs in the food industry practice open innovation mostly through inbound open innovation activities rather than outbound
Summary
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in national economies by generating employment opportunities and are important contributors to value creation as well as innovation (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2017). SMEs are subject to limited resources and innovation capabilities that larger firms acquire more (Lee, Park, Yoon, & Park, 2010). These limitations may hamper their ability to compete and survive in the current competitive business environment. Studies related to innovation proposed opening the innovation process in order to overcome these limitations for SMEs (Parida et al, 2012). This means a shift from a closed innovation model to an open innovation model (Chesbrough, 2003; Gassmann, 2006)
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