Implementing Open Innovation : Cultural Issues

This paper presents the results of case study research into the organisational culture issues underpinning the successful implementation of an open innovation (OI) strategy for multinational corporations. The results of this research are drawn from the series of single company case studies supported by data captured at multi-company workshops. The research highlights the different issues facing both 'blue sky' R&D and applied R&D, as well as those service functions established specifically to support the implementation of OI. For the 'blue sky' R&D, issues can be overcome by leveraging the scientists’ motivation for research by setting up spaces for interaction with external organisations, and by reducing the barriers and obstacles of the more 'mundane tasks of external interactions. For applied R&D, issues can be overcome by setting specific targets for cooperation with the external organisations, showing the benefits of an OI approach by demonstrating its strong problem solving potential, and using budget constraints to induce the outsourcing of research