Managing Open Innovation in SMEs

The concept of open innovation (OI) has become a very popular topic during the last decade, with an increasing number of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) embracing OI practices to gain competitive advantage. With the majority of publications focusing on large firms, open innovation in SMEs has received scant attention from both scholars and practitioners. This book seeks to correct this imbalance by providing an in-depth study for both business managers and graduate-level students. Using rich, in-depth case studies from successful companies, it examines different approaches to managing OI in order to develop practical guidelines for implementation. It also highlights important differences between OI strategies in SMEs and large companies. Its findings will be of use to those studying or working in innovation management, open innovation, small business management and entrepreneurship.

Wim Vanhaverbeke is a professor at the University of Hasselt, Belgium and visiting professor at ESADE Business School and the National University of Singapore. He published articles in several international journals and was co-editor of two books on open innovation together with Henry Chesbrough and Joel West. He is a dedicated open innovation researcher collaborating with different partners in universities and companies around the globe. He established the European Innovation Forum with Henry Chesbrough in 2012. He is a frequently invited speaker at leading international conferences and an adviser for several globally operating companies. He consults and organizes workshops for multinationals and technology companies. He was recognized by the International Association of Management of Technology (IAMOT) as one of the top fifty authors of technology and innovation management during the period 2008–12.