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Benefits And Barriers Of Crowdsourcing In B2b Firms: Generating Ideas With Internal And External Crowds

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  • HENRI SIMULA

    (Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Aalto University, School of Science, Otaniementie 17, Espoo, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland)

  • MERVI VUORI

    (Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Aalto University, School of Science, Otaniementie 17, Espoo, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland)

Abstract

In recent years crowdsourcing has increased in popularity as a method for gathering ideas for new innovations and providing solutions to existing problems. This means that firms apply the wisdom of crowds to certain tasks and challenges. Various crowdsourcing initiatives and platforms seem to provide new channels and ways to enable this in practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine how business-to-business (B2B) firms can interact with different groups of contributors in order to receive new ideas, feedback and solutions for improving their products and services. Based on theoretical conceptualization, combined with empirical evidence, we propose a layered framework for approaching crowdsourcing in a B2B context. The empirical results of this paper reveal benefits but also practical challenges to overcome before crowdsourcing can be effectively utilized in the B2B sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Henri Simula & Mervi Vuori, 2012. "Benefits And Barriers Of Crowdsourcing In B2b Firms: Generating Ideas With Internal And External Crowds," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 16(06), pages 1-19.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ijimxx:v:16:y:2012:i:06:n:s1363919612400117
    DOI: 10.1142/S1363919612400117
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Karim R. Lakhani & Jill A. Panetta, 2007. "The Principles of Distributed Innovation," Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, MIT Press, vol. 2(3), pages 97-112, July.
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    2. Kokshagina, Olga & Gillier, Thomas & Cogez, Patrick & Le Masson, Pascal & Weil, Benoit, 2017. "Using innovation contests to promote the development of generic technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 152-164.
    3. Anke Buhl & Susanne Blazejewski & Franziska Dittmer, 2016. "The More, the Merrier: Why and How Employee-Driven Eco-Innovation Enhances Environmental and Competitive Advantage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-17, September.
    4. Weinberg, Bruce D. & de Ruyter, Ko & Dellarocas, Chrysanthos & Buck, Michael & Keeling, Debbie Isobel, 2013. "Destination Social Business: Exploring an Organization's Journey with Social Media, Collaborative Community and Expressive Individuality," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 299-310.
    5. Xuanwei Zhao & Enjun Xia, 2016. "Research On The Operation Mechanism Of Network Crowdsourcing System And Constitutions Of Crowdsourcing Capability," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(07), pages 1-18, October.
    6. Jakob Pohlisch, 2020. "Internal Open Innovation—Lessons Learned from Internal Crowdsourcing at SAP," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, May.
    7. Paniagua, Jordi & Korzynski, Pawel & Mas-Tur, Alicia, 2017. "Crossing borders with social media: Online social networks and FDI," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 314-326.
    8. Antoniya Boykova, 2017. "Collaboration between Consumers and Companies in Generating Ideas for Product Development," International Conference on Marketing and Business Development Journal, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 74-82, July.
    9. Jordan Robert Gamble & Michael Brennan & Rodney Mcadam, 2016. "A Contemporary And Systematic Literature Review Of User-Centric Innovation: A Consumer Perspective," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(01), pages 1-45, January.
    10. Seppälä, Timo & Vuori, Mervi & Laine, Jari & Eloranta, Eero, 2013. "The Future of Internet Era Organizations – The Concept of Chief Complementary Officer," ETLA Brief 15, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    11. Ted Y. T. Suen & Simon K. S. Cheung & Fu Lee Wang & John Y. K. Hui, 2022. "Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivational Factors on Employee Participation in Internal Crowdsourcing Initiatives in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-23, July.

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