Born Open? A Look at Open Innovation from the Perspective of HTSFs

摘要

HTSFs are widely recognized as one of the most important sources of new knowledge for technological innovations in the last decades. The literature about the open innovation paradigm shows an increasing interest in understanding the nature of knowledge interactions between HTSFs and their environment. The open innovation paradigm has so far been studied mainly as a strategic approach by large corporations and multinationals; however, the current debate is also concerned with the key relevant factors that influence technology acquisition and exploitation approaches in HTSFs (Lichtenthaler, 2011; Oakey, 2013; Wynarczyk and Piperopoulos, 2013). Drawing on these dimensions we use data from a survey conducted on 383 high-technology SMEs at regional level in Italy in order to classify homogeneous groups of firms on the basis of the degree of openness in their innovative behaviour. We measure the degree of openness with practices related to both technology acquisition (external knowledge sourcing and in-licensing practices) and application activities (external product development and out-licensing practices). Our findings support the view of HTSFs being naturally 'open' in their innovative behaviour due to their nature of research driven companies and to their lack of some resources (Gassman and Enkel, 2004; Oakey 2013). Accordingly, open innovation practices pursued by HTSFs appear to be mainly driven by market-related networking, since they focus on partners and clients for product ideas and development (Lichtenthaler, 2008; Van de Vrande et al. 2009). We furthermore find a significant association between the degree of openness and some of the characteristics of the "technological entrepreneurs": scientific research and development activities (mainly in engineering and life sciences) in the open group are more likely to be connected also with "public partners and clients", such as universities, hospitals and public research centres.