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Open Innovation Projects in SMEs as an Engine for Sustainable Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Byungun Yoon

    (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Dongguk University, Pil-dong, 3 ga, Joong-gu, Seoul 04620, Korea)

  • Juneseuk Shin

    (Department of Systems Engineering Management, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066, Seobu-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon 16419, Korea)

  • Sungjoo Lee

    (Department of Industrial Engineering, Ajou University, Wonchen-dong, Youngtong-gu, Suwon 16499, Korea)

Abstract

Most innovation activities that are inevitable for sustainable growth are coordinated via research and development (R&D) projects, which can differ widely in terms of both project and open innovation characteristics, even when conducted within the same firm. Therefore, it is important to consider the peculiarities of R&D projects when evaluating the performance of open innovation strategies, as well as to explore how the benefits and costs of open innovation are shaped by cross-level interactions. This study identifies the differences between successful and unsuccessful open innovation projects, in both firm-level and project-level terms. We focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which usually lack the full set of internal resources and competences required to effectively develop, produce, and commercialize their innovations, and thus must adopt open innovation approaches more actively for sustainability. Adopting an empirical approach, we conducted a survey of 517 Korean SMEs and analyzed 241 successful and unsuccessful open innovation projects in depth. By combining measurements at the firm and project levels, this study provides new insight into the intra-organizational challenges of implementing open innovation projects, which are not only helpful to strategic decision-makers in SMEs, but also to those who make policies for them.

Suggested Citation

  • Byungun Yoon & Juneseuk Shin & Sungjoo Lee, 2016. "Open Innovation Projects in SMEs as an Engine for Sustainable Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-27, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:2:p:146-:d:63413
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Barnabás Székely, 2020. "Funding for lending schemes should prioritize SME lending," MNB Occasional Papers 2020/138, Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Central Bank of Hungary).
    4. Meena Madhavan & Mohammed Ali Sharafuddin & Sutee Wangtueai, 2024. "Impact of Industry 5.0 Readiness on Sustainable Business Growth of Marine Food Processing SMEs in Thailand," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-26, May.
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    6. Omar Carrasco-Carvajal & Mauricio Castillo-Vergara & Domingo García-Pérez-de-Lema, 2023. "Measuring open innovation in SMEs: an overview of current research," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 397-442, February.
    7. Changhwan Shin, 2018. "How Social Entrepreneurs Affect Performance of Social Enterprises in Korea: The Mediating Effect of Innovativeness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-14, July.
    8. Denis Jelačić & Andreja Pirc Barčić & Leon Oblak & Darko Motik & Petra Grošelj & Matej Jošt, 2021. "Sustainable Production Management Model for Small and Medium Enterprises in Some South-Central EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, May.
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