Open Innovation

Collaboration. That is the perfect word that describes what Open Innovation is made of. Human beings are naturally collaborative, this is what History has taught us. Except in uncertain moments, we have always tried to sum up our efforts, looking at the mutual benefit. In this globalised world we live in, it is basic for companies to break boundaries and start sharing knowledge, in order to foster general development.

But, what is Open Innovation?

Open Innovation is a new approach to innovation processes characterized by the search of information and innovations outside the corporate context, beyond the boundaries of the company. The term was coined by H. Chesbrough in 2003 after analyzing corporate innovation processes taking place in some large international companies. It is also the “combination of internal and external ideas as well as internal and external paths to advance the development of new technologies”.

The appeal to external sources of innovation has so far been developed through the R&D relationships, with universities, research centers …The technology transfer processes have always existed but have never been considered and assessed as real business deals. In this context, unused ideas are a waste of corporate resources and discourage the staff that created the innovation system. On the other hand, “the transfer of not used ideas outside generates new knowledge on technical and commercial opportunities, knowledge that would never come out if these ideas remained sealed within the company”.

These are some of the generic differences between open and closed innovation:

From my point of view, the main reason to foster Open Innovation is the economic crisis we are all facing. We have to implement a new way to think, a new way to act. I guess in a few decades, closed and competing companies will be seen as the past. We have to learn from History, collaborate and work together, that has been ALWAYS the best strategy for general development.

Interesting websites:

• http://www.openinnovation.net/
• http://www.openinnovation.eu/
• http://www.15inno.com/
• http://web.mit.edu/evhippel/www/
• http://www.leaduser.com/

22 comentarios / 14 Feb 2012 por Pablo Gonzalez Vina
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