In Search of Innovations: Intermediaries and External Knowledge Acquisition
Speaker
Abstract
| In the wake of more distributed and open innovation models, innovation intermediaries have emerged to assist firm’s external knowledge acquisition in markets for technologies and ideas. Recent literature discuss innovation intermediaries (such as e.g., NineSigma, Innocentive, YourEncore, Yet2.com, and Innovaro) that apply business models where they facilitate and orchestrate the interaction between knowledge seekers and potential solution providers. The interest of this research is on explaining the challenges and opportunities to acquire external knowledge by presenting a setting where innovation intermediaries help firms to increase the heterogeneity and speed of external solutions. Hence, this multi-staged study investigates the following research questions: 1) how do firms acquire external knowledge using an innovation intermediary?, 2) what are the knowledge processes involved when companies make use of the services of an innovation intermediary? and 3) what are the cognitive costs and benefits to the use of an innovation intermediary, and how do such costs and benefits affect the boundaries of the firm with regard to R&D activities? |
| To answer these questions, the researchers interviewed and received archival information from 21 innovation managers from 18 different companies in Europe and the U.S., that have been using innovation intermediaries. We also conducted two months of field research at NineSigma (one of the market leaders) in Cleveland, OH (including 8 interviews with Project Managers at NineSigma). In addition, three surveys directed to NineSigma’s clients were conducted to verify the qualitatively collected information. |
| Contact information: |
| Dr. K. Dittrich |
