Accessing and integrating user knowledge for innovation in traditional industries

Firms involve users in innovation because of the unique knowledge users have developed about the firms’ products through their usage experience. However, users’ innovation-related knowledge is not easily accessible and transferred. Not much insight is provided in user innovation literature to allow firms and researchers to understand the firm’s internal methods and mechanism involved in converting user input to product innovation. Based on the knowledge-based view and innovation management perspective, we argue that internal mechanisms facilitate such knowledge coordination. Following a qualitative multiple case study design, we collected data from three New Zealand and Australian firms operating in farm management and steel casting industries. We conclude that firms require four organisational mechanisms that support the access and integration of user inputs. Our work provides insight into the coordination mechanisms firms use to access and integrate user knowledge. Findings would help firms understand and implement necessary mechanisms to coordinate user innovation activities. Full paper available at https://www.proquest.com/conference-papers-proceedings/accessing-integrating-user-knowledge-innovation/docview/2170351215/se-2?accountid=8424