Building Actor Reputation in Web-Based Innovation Networks

摘要

In order to be successful in terms of market share, sales, and profit, companies from different industries are detecting the innovative power of the customer network. Handing over more and more elements of the innovation process to the customer is accompanied by a loss of control of the innovating company thus creating quality uncertainty concerning the innovation process. According to New Institutional Economics these uncertainties can be overcome by building actor reputation within the web-based innovation network. Based on a short overview of the different stages of innovation process organi-zation we will show how relevant actor reputation is for innovation networks. We develop an explanatory model of reputation building based on sociological theories of role modelling, interaction and communication and offer first con-siderations how the model can be tested. We conclude with a summary and an outlook on further research.