Organizations coupled with communities: the strategic effects on firms engaged in community-coupled open innovation. (14th October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sims, Jonathan; Seidel, Victor P.
• Is Part Of: Industrial and corporate change. Volume 26:Number 4(2017)
• Page Start: 647
• Page End: 665
• Publication Date: 2016-10-14
• Subjects: O31 -- O35 -- C2 -- L33; Organizational change -- Periodicals; Organizational effectiveness -- Periodicals; Industrial management -- Periodicals; 658.4062
• DOI: 10.1093/icc/dtw043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-6491

Abstract

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.