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Organizations coupled with communities: the strategic effects on firms engaged in community-coupled open innovation

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  • Jonathan Sims
  • Victor P. Seidel

Abstract

The study of open innovation has primarily focused on the benefits and consequences of inbound or outbound innovation exchange between firms; however, increasingly firms may be engaged in simultaneous inbound and outbound exchange forming a “coupled” approach. Furthermore, firms increasingly collaborate with communities as sources of innovation, but how does such “community-coupled open innovation” affect a firm? Through an in-depth study of 250 firms collaborating with a leading open source software community, we show how this approach incorporates not only the exchange of intellectual property but also the provision of help. We find that while community-coupled open innovation does not affect productivity, it can expand a firm’s social ties, lead to a more conservative strategic posture, and shift its innovation focus. Implications for our theories of open innovation in the context of communities are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan Sims & Victor P. Seidel, 2017. "Organizations coupled with communities: the strategic effects on firms engaged in community-coupled open innovation," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(4), pages 647-665.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:indcch:v:26:y:2017:i:4:p:647-665.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/icc/dtw043
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Hannigan, Timothy R. & Seidel, Victor P. & Yakis-Douglas, Basak, 2018. "Product innovation rumors as forms of open innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(5), pages 953-964.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O35 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Social Innovation
    • C2 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out

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