Using an Online Community for Vehicle Design: Project Variety and Motivations to Participate

Abstract

In the motor vehicle industry, open innovation strategies that draw upon individuals in online communities as sources of innovation have been limited, but access to a global supply of individual designers is an appealing goal as a means to explore new vehicle concepts. However, many efforts at using online communities fail due to lack of participation. Participation in online communities may be influenced by a range of motivations as well as by how well a social practice is embodied within the community. What motivations do individuals have to participate in a firm-hosted vehicle design community, and how does the nature of the design task influence participation? We studied Local Motors, a firm that has hosted a global community of vehicle designers for many years and in which individuals both compete and collaborate on vehicle design projects. Our study results indicated that the firm’s deliberate use of project variety-- across dimensions of project autonomy and project complexity--supported individual motivations to participate and the social practice of vehicle design. We discuss implications of this innovation model for firms in the global vehicle industry.