The role of open innovation hubs and perceived collective efficacy on individual behaviour in open innovation projects

Abstract

The effectiveness of a company's open innovation (OI) strategy strongly depends on the performance of the innovation projects it launches. However, OI research has dedicated only scant attention to the role played by the behaviour of individuals involved in these projects. This study focuses on the role played by an open innovation hub (OIH), an in‐house unit supporting and accelerating OI initiatives, and investigates how OIHs influence the innovative behaviour of employees involved in innovation projects. In particular, this study employs social cognitive theory as a theoretical lens and investigates the role of project members' collective efficacy. Specifically, we developed two hypotheses that were tested using empirical analysis, with survey data from 134 individuals involved in OI projects and operating in 16 Japanese companies. Our study contributes to the literature by illuminating how the perceived collective efficacy of the employees involved in an innovation project influences their behaviours. We find that the support offered by an OIH strengthens the project members' perceived collective efficacy and, in turn, supports their innovative behaviour.