IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/techno/v103y2021ics0166497221000134.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Open innovation within high-tech SMEs: A study of the entrepreneurial founder's influence on open innovation practices

Author

Listed:
  • Barrett, Gillian
  • Dooley, Lawrence
  • Bogue, Joe

Abstract

This study aims to deepen our knowledge of the SME ‘human’ role within open innovation adoption. To achieve this, we explore how the SME leader, namely the founder/CEO managerial characteristics influence the SMEs open innovation adoption dynamics (i.e. mechanisms, partners, motives and sequence of adoption). The empirical analysis is based on seven Irish medical device SME case studies achieving high growth ambitions at an international level. Our findings demonstrate that SME open innovation adoption is exemplified by a project based as opposed to an organisational level rationale and a natural tendency to pivot back towards the closed paradigm through a ‘switchback' strategy once the need has been addressed. In turn, SMEs develop open innovation capabilities on a project by project basis and mature as a consequence, thus highlighting the importance of the ‘doing, using, interacting’ mode of learning within SME OI development. Furthermore, SMEs tend to adopt a common sequential and temporal pathway commencing with a commercialisation focus through the outside-in mode followed by a complex, coupled co-creation mode. This study also provides insights into how the founder/CEO's characteristics influence OI adoption dynamics using the West and Bogers (2014) obtaining, integrating and commercialising framework thus extending upper echelons theory (UET) and strengthening the connection between open innovation and entrepreneurship theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Barrett, Gillian & Dooley, Lawrence & Bogue, Joe, 2021. "Open innovation within high-tech SMEs: A study of the entrepreneurial founder's influence on open innovation practices," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:techno:v:103:y:2021:i:c:s0166497221000134
    DOI: 10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102232
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166497221000134
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.technovation.2021.102232?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heidenreich, Martin, 2009. "Innovation patterns and location of European low- and medium-technology industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 483-494, April.
    2. Marx, Matt & Hsu, David H., 2015. "Strategic switchbacks: Dynamic commercialization strategies for technology entrepreneurs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(10), pages 1815-1826.
    3. Lee, Sungjoo & Park, Gwangman & Yoon, Byungun & Park, Jinwoo, 2010. "Open innovation in SMEs--An intermediated network model," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 290-300, March.
    4. Michael Lubatkin & Zeki Simsek & Yan Ling & John F. Veiga, 2006. "Ambidexterity and Performance in Small-to Medium-Sized Firms : The Pivotal Role of Top Management Team Behavioral Integration," Post-Print hal-02311781, HAL.
    5. Ashish Arora & Alfonso Gambardella, 2010. "Ideas for rent: an overview of markets for technology," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 19(3), pages 775-803, June.
    6. Dahlander, Linus & Gann, David M., 2010. "How open is innovation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 699-709, July.
    7. David J. TEECE, 2008. "Profiting from technological innovation: Implications for integration, collaboration, licensing and public policy," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: The Transfer And Licensing Of Know-How And Intellectual Property Understanding the Multinational Enterprise in the Modern World, chapter 5, pages 67-87, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Muhammad Usman & Nadine Roijakkers & Wim Vanhaverbeke & Federico Frattini, 2018. "A Systematic Review of the Literature on Open Innovation in SMEs," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Wim Vanhaverbeke & Federico Frattini & Nadine Roijakkers & Muhammad Usman (ed.), RESEARCHING OPEN INNOVATION IN SMEs, chapter 1, pages 3-35, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    9. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    10. Spiggle, Susan, 1994. "Analysis and Interpretation of Qualitative Data in Consumer Research," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 21(3), pages 491-503, December.
    11. Martin, Ben R., 2012. "The evolution of science policy and innovation studies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(7), pages 1219-1239.
    12. Bouncken, Ricarda B. & Kraus, Sascha, 2013. "Innovation in knowledge-intensive industries: The double-edged sword of coopetition," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(10), pages 2060-2070.
    13. Du, Jingshu & Leten, Bart & Vanhaverbeke, Wim, 2014. "Managing open innovation projects with science-based and market-based partners," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(5), pages 828-840.
    14. Gaylen N. Chandler, 1996. "Business Similarity as a Moderator of the Relationship between Pre-Ownership Experience and Venture Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 20(3), pages 51-65, April.
    15. Henry W. Chesbrough & Wim Vanhaverbeke, 2018. "Open Innovation and Public Policy in the EU with Implications for SMEs," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Wim Vanhaverbeke & Federico Frattini & Nadine Roijakkers & Muhammad Usman (ed.), RESEARCHING OPEN INNOVATION IN SMEs, chapter 15, pages 455-492, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    16. Acs, Zoltan J. & Audretsch, David B., 1987. "Innovation in large and small firms," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 109-112.
    17. Yasemin Y. Kor, 2003. "Experience-Based Top Management Team Competence and Sustained Growth," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(6), pages 707-719, December.
    18. Sebastian Green, 1992. "The Impact Of Ownership And Capital Structure On Managerial Motivation And Strategy In Management Buy‐Outs: A Cultural Analysis," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 513-535, July.
    19. Rajeswararao Chaganti & Rakesh Sambharya, 1987. "Strategic orientation and characteristics of upper management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(4), pages 393-401, July.
    20. Hanna Bahemia & Brian Squire, 2010. "Erratum: "A CONTINGENT PERSPECTIVE OF OPEN INNOVATION IN NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS"," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(05), pages 965-965.
    21. Hanna Bahemia & Brian Squire, 2010. "A Contingent Perspective Of Open Innovation In New Product Development Projects," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 14(04), pages 603-627.
    22. Ceci, Federica & Iubatti, Daniela, 2012. "Personal relationships and innovation diffusion in SME networks: A content analysis approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 565-579.
    23. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Claudia Bird Schoonhoven, 1996. "Resource-based View of Strategic Alliance Formation: Strategic and Social Effects in Entrepreneurial Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(2), pages 136-150, April.
    24. Constance E. Helfat & Marvin B. Lieberman, 2002. "The birth of capabilities: market entry and the importance of pre-history," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 11(4), pages 725-760, August.
    25. Danny Miller & Jean-Marie Toulouse, 1986. "Chief Executive Personality and Corporate Strategy and Structure in Small Firms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(11), pages 1389-1409, November.
    26. Barbara Bigliardi & Francesco Galati, 2018. "An Open Innovation Model for SMEs," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Wim Vanhaverbeke & Federico Frattini & Nadine Roijakkers & Muhammad Usman (ed.), RESEARCHING OPEN INNOVATION IN SMEs, chapter 3, pages 71-113, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    27. Zi-Lin He & Poh-Kam Wong, 2004. "Exploration vs. Exploitation: An Empirical Test of the Ambidexterity Hypothesis," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(4), pages 481-494, August.
    28. de Jong, Jeroen P.J. & Marsili, Orietta, 2006. "The fruit flies of innovations: A taxonomy of innovative small firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 213-229, March.
    29. Elias G. Carayannis & Dirk Meissner, 2017. "Glocal targeted open innovation: challenges, opportunities and implications for theory, policy and practice," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 236-252, April.
    30. Noam Wasserman, 2003. "Founder-CEO Succession and the Paradox of Entrepreneurial Success," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(2), pages 149-172, April.
    31. Bogers, Marcel & Foss, Nicolai J. & Lyngsie, Jacob, 2018. "The “human side” of open innovation: The role of employee diversity in firm-level openness," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 218-231.
    32. Barbara Cornelius & Hans Landström & Olle Persson, 2006. "Entrepreneurial Studies: The Dynamic Research Front of a Developing Social Science," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(3), pages 375-398, May.
    33. David J. Teece, 2007. "Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations of (sustainable) enterprise performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(13), pages 1319-1350, December.
    34. Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1988. "The Influence Of Organization Structure On The Utility Of An Entrepreneurial Top Management Style," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 217-234, May.
    35. Barringer, Bruce R. & Jones, Foard F. & Neubaum, Donald O., 2005. "A quantitative content analysis of the characteristics of rapid-growth firms and their founders," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 663-687, September.
    36. Lawrence Dooley & David O’Sullivan, 2018. "Open Innovation Within the Low-Technology SME Sector," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Wim Vanhaverbeke & Federico Frattini & Nadine Roijakkers & Muhammad Usman (ed.), RESEARCHING OPEN INNOVATION IN SMEs, chapter 8, pages 249-271, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    37. Davies, Andrew & Brady, Tim, 2000. "Organisational capabilities and learning in complex product systems: towards repeatable solutions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7-8), pages 931-953, August.
    38. Jeffrey G. Covin & Dennis P. Slevin, 1991. "A Conceptual Model of Entrepreneurship as Firm Behavior," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 16(1), pages 7-26, October.
    39. Drechsler, Wenzel & Natter, Martin, 2012. "Understanding a firm's openness decisions in innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 438-445.
    40. Aifang Guo & Jin Chen & Jun Jin, 2010. "An analysis of the complementary innovation mechanism between STI and DUI modes," International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 7(3/4), pages 265-273.
    41. Peter W. Roberts & Steven Klepper & Scott Hayward, 2011. "Founder backgrounds and the evolution of firm size," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 20(6), pages 1515-1538, December.
    42. S Tamer Cavusgil & Gary Knight, 2015. "The born global firm: An entrepreneurial and capabilities perspective on early and rapid internationalization," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(1), pages 3-16, January.
    43. Olof Brunninge & Mattias Nordqvist & Johan Wiklund, 2007. "Corporate Governance and Strategic Change in SMEs: The Effects of Ownership, Board Composition and Top Management Teams," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 295-308, October.
    44. William Ocasio, 1997. "Towards An Attention‐Based View Of The Firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(S1), pages 187-206, July.
    45. George Westerman & F. Warren McFarlan & Marco Iansiti, 2006. "Organization Design and Effectiveness over the Innovation Life Cycle," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 17(2), pages 230-238, April.
    46. Wim Vanhaverbeke & Federico Frattini & Nadine Roijakkers & Muhammad Usman (ed.), 2018. "Researching Open Innovation in SMEs," World Scientific Books, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., number 10733, September.
    47. Marcel Bogers & Ann-Kristin Zobel & Allan Afuah & Esteve Almirall & Sabine Brunswicker & Linus Dahlander & Lars Frederiksen & Annabelle Gawer & Marc Gruber & Stefan Haefliger & John Hagedoorn & Dennis, 2017. "The open innovation research landscape: established perspectives and emerging themes across different levels of analysis," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 8-40, January.
    48. Ellen Enkel & John Bell & Hannah Hogenkamp, 2011. "Open Innovation Maturity Framework," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(06), pages 1161-1189.
    49. Cédric Schneider & Reinhilde Veugelers, 2010. "On young highly innovative companies: why they matter and how (not) to policy support them," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 19(4), pages 969-1007, August.
    50. Roland Calori & Gerry Johnson & Philippe Sarnin, 1994. "Ceos' cognitive maps and the scope of the organization," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 437-457, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Adams, Kweku & Attah-Boakye, Rexford & Yu, Honglan & Johansson, Jeaneth & Njoya, Eric Tchouamou, 2023. "Female board representation and coupled open innovation: Evidence from emerging market multinational enterprises," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    2. Barrett, Gillian & Tsekouras, George, 2022. "A tango with a gorilla: An exploration of the microfoundations of open innovation partnerships between young innovative companies and multi-national enterprises," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Zhi-Guang Li & Yanrui Wu & Yao-Kuang Li, 2023. "Technical Founders, Digital Transformation and Corporate Technological Innovation: Empirical Evidence from Listed Companies in China’s STAR Market," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 23-03, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    4. Battistella, Cinzia & Ferraro, Giovanna & Pessot, Elena, 2023. "Technology transfer services impacts on open innovation capabilities of SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    5. Naeini, Ali Bonyadi & Zamani, Mehdi & Daim, Tugrul U. & Sharma, Mahak & Yalcin, Haydar, 2022. "Conceptual structure and perspectives on “innovation management”: A bibliometric review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    6. Zhang, Xiaobin & Chu, Zhaofang & Ren, Lei & Xing, Jianguo, 2023. "Open innovation and sustainable competitive advantage: The role of organizational learning," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PA).
    7. Livieratos, Antonios D. & Tsekouras, George & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Angelakis, Antonios, 2022. "Open Innovation moves in SMEs: How European SMEs place their bets?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    8. Marzi, Giacomo & Fakhar Manesh, Mohammad & Caputo, Andrea & Pellegrini, Massimiliano Matteo & Vlačić, Božidar, 2023. "Do or do not. Cognitive configurations affecting open innovation adoption in SMEs," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    9. Simba, Amon & Tajeddin, Mahdi & Farashahi, Mehdi & Dana, Léo-Paul & Maleki, Amirhossein, 2024. "Internationalising high–tech SMEs: Advancing a new perspective of open innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Barrett, Gillian & Tsekouras, George, 2022. "A tango with a gorilla: An exploration of the microfoundations of open innovation partnerships between young innovative companies and multi-national enterprises," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    2. Dahlander, Linus & Gann, David M. & Wallin, Martin W., 2021. "How open is innovation? A retrospective and ideas forward," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(4).
    3. Livieratos, Antonios D. & Tsekouras, George & Vanhaverbeke, Wim & Angelakis, Antonios, 2022. "Open Innovation moves in SMEs: How European SMEs place their bets?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    4. Schäper, Thomas & Jung, Christopher & Foege, Johann Nils & Bogers, Marcel L.A.M. & Fainshmidt, Stav & Nüesch, Stephan, 2023. "The S-shaped relationship between open innovation and financial performance: A longitudinal perspective using a novel text-based measure," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    5. Leckel, Anja & Veilleux, Sophie & Dana, Leo Paul, 2020. "Local Open Innovation: A means for public policy to increase collaboration for innovation in SMEs," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. Hutton, Steven & Demir, Robert & Eldridge, Stephen, 2021. "How does open innovation contribute to the firm's dynamic capabilities?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    7. Radziwon, Agnieszka & Bogers, Marcel, 2019. "Open innovation in SMEs: Exploring inter-organizational relationships in an ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 573-587.
    8. Adrián Kovács & Bart Looy & Bruno Cassiman, 2015. "Exploring the scope of open innovation: a bibliometric review of a decade of research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 104(3), pages 951-983, September.
    9. Lu, Qinli & Chesbrough, Henry, 2022. "Measuring open innovation practices through topic modelling: Revisiting their impact on firm financial performance," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    10. Idika Awa Uduma & Andy Fred Wali & Len Tiu Wright, 2015. "A quantitative study on the influence of breadth of open innovation on SMEs product-service performance: The moderating effect of type of innovation," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(1), pages 1120421-112, December.
    11. Bhandari, Krishna Raj & Rana, Sudhir & Paul, Justin & Salo, Jari, 2020. "Relative exploration and firm performance: Why resource-theory alone is not sufficient?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 363-377.
    12. Linder, Christian, 2019. "Customer orientation and operations: The role of manufacturing capabilities in small- and medium-sized enterprises," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 105-117.
    13. Satish Nambisan & Shaker A. Zahra & Yadong Luo, 2019. "Global platforms and ecosystems: Implications for international business theories," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(9), pages 1464-1486, December.
    14. Franzò, Simone & Doppio, Nicola & Natalicchio, Angelo & Frattini, Federico & Mion, Luca, 2023. "Designing innovation contests to support external knowledge search in small and medium-sized enterprises," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    15. Buccieri, Dominic & Javalgi, Raj G. & Cavusgil, Erin, 2020. "International new venture performance: Role of international entrepreneurial culture, ambidextrous innovation, and dynamic marketing capabilities," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    16. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Nathan R. Furr & Christopher B. Bingham, 2010. "CROSSROADS---Microfoundations of Performance: Balancing Efficiency and Flexibility in Dynamic Environments," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(6), pages 1263-1273, December.
    17. Owusu Sarpong & Peter Teirlinck, 2018. "The influence of functional and geographical diversity in collaboration on product innovation performance in SMEs," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(6), pages 1667-1695, December.
    18. Teece, David J., 2016. "Dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial management in large organizations: Toward a theory of the (entrepreneurial) firm," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 202-216.
    19. Carmona-Lavado, Antonio & Cuevas-Rodríguez, Gloria & Cabello-Medina, Carmen & Fedriani, Eugenio M., 2021. "Does open innovation always work? The role of complementary assets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    20. Simona Gentile-Lüdecke & Rui Torres de Oliveira & Justin Paul, 2020. "Does organizational structure facilitate inbound and outbound open innovation in SMEs?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1091-1112, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:techno:v:103:y:2021:i:c:s0166497221000134. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01664972 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.