Exploring innovation through open networks: A review and initial research questions

摘要

The open innovation strategy as an emerging approach towards innovation is beginning to receive attention from organisations and researchers. Open innovation signifies the opening up of internal R&D by leveraging inflow and outflow of knowledge. Open network is one mechanism of open innovation, which brings solvers from different domains to work on the problems posted by seekers. As a relatively new phenomenon, many aspects of open networks remain to be understood. Under-explored areas include the motivation of solvers and seekers using open networks and the influence of open network usage on innovation performance. Since solvers and seekers serve as the foundation for the realisation of the open innovation strategy, such understanding is imperative to encourage participation and realise benefits from open networks. This article thus investigates the potential factors that can promote solvers' and seekers' participation in open networks and the outcomes of open network usage by seekers. Towards this end, we delve into both the knowledge exchange and open innovation literatures to explore solvers' and seekers' motivation of participation in open networks. Specifically, the study proposes salient individual and organisational antecedents of participation deriving from relevant theories from information systems and organization studies, such as social exchange theory, knowledge brokering, and exploration–exploitation dichotomy perspectives. In this manner, this article aims to contribute to the theoretical understanding of the digital knowledge market for innovation in open networks and to offer insights to organisations for leveraging such external knowledge.