Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T18:43:39.616Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A meta-analysis of the impact of open innovation on performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

Thi Phuong Thao Nguyen*
Affiliation:
School of Business, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia6150, Australia Ba Ria-Vung Tau University, 80 Truong Cong Dinh Street, Vung Tau City, Vietnam
Fang Huang
Affiliation:
School of Business, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia6150, Australia
Xiaowen Tian
Affiliation:
School of Business, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia6150, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Thi Phuong Thao Nguyen, E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Using the meta-analysis technique, this research comprehensively reviews the existing open innovation (OI) literature, systematically aggregates empirical findings on the impact of OI on performance to identify key moderators and statistically tests the significance of these moderators in influencing the OI–performance relationship. Based on a comprehensive dataset of 2,377,123 firms and sub-firm units in 171 studies published from 2003 to 2018, this research demonstrates that the OI–performance relationship is significantly moderated by three key factors: performance measure, OI approach, and level of analysis. This research helps explain the conflicting findings regarding the OI–performance relationship in the existing literature, and contributes to the understanding of the effectiveness of OI practice.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andries, P., & Faems, D. (2013). Patenting activities and firm performance: Does firm size matter? Journal of Product Innovation Management, 30(6), 10891098. doi: 10.1111/jpim.12047CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arvanitis, S., Fuchs, B., & Woerter, M. (2015). Opening up the innovation process: Outside-in involvement of innovative users and established firms’ innovation performance. International Journal of Innovation Management, 19(2), 132. doi: 10.1142/S1363919615500292.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bahemia, H., Sillince, J., & Vanhaverbeke, W. (2018). The timing of openness in a radical innovation project, a temporal and loose coupling perspective. Research Policy, 47(10), 20662076. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2018.07.015CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Battistella, C., De Toni, A. F., & Pessot, E. (2017). Practising open innovation: A framework of reference. Business Process Management Journal, 23(6), 13111336. doi: 10.1108/bpmj-10-2016-0219CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Belderbos, R., Cassiman, B., Faems, D., Leten, B., & Van Looy, B. (2014). Co-ownership of intellectual property: Exploring the value-appropriation and value-creation implications of co-patenting with different partners. Research Policy, 43(5), 841852. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2013.08.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beugelsdijk, S., Kostova, T., Kunst, V. E., Spadafora, E., & van Essen, M. (2018). Cultural distance and firm internationalization: A meta-analytical review and theoretical implications. Journal of Management, 44(1), 89130. doi: 10.1177/0149206317729027CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bogers, M., Zobel, A. K., Afuah, A., Almirall, E., Brunswicker, S., Dahlander, L., … Ter Wal, A. L. J. (2017). The open innovation research landscape: Established perspectives and emerging themes across different levels of analysis. Industry and Innovation, 24(1), 840. doi: 10.1080/13662716.2016.1240068CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P. T., & Rothstein, H. R. (2009). Introduction to meta-analysis. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brink, T. (2014). The impact on growth of outside-in and inside-out innovation in SME network contexts. International Journal of Innovation Management, 18(4), 125. doi: 10.1142/S1363919614500236CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brockman, P., Khurana, I. K., & Zhong, R. I. (2018). Societal trust and open innovation. Research Policy, 47(10), 20482065. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2018.07.010CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brunswicker, S., & Chesbrough, H. (2018). The adoption of open innovation in large firms: Practices, measures, and risks. Research-Technology Management, 61(1), 35. doi: 10.1080/08956308.2018.1399022CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Camisón-Zornoza, C., Lapiedra-Alcamí, R., Segarra-Ciprés, M., & Boronat-Navarro, M. (2004). A meta-analysis of innovation and organizational size. Organization Studies, 25(3), 331361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caputo, M., Lamberti, E., Cammarano, A., & Michelino, F. (2016). Exploring the impact of open innovation on firm performances. Management Decision, 54(7), 17881812.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Caputo, A., Pizzi, S., Pellegrini, M. M., & Dabić, M. (2021). Digitalization and business models: Where are we going? A science map of the field. Journal of Business Research, 123, 489501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cassiman, B., & Valentini, G. (2016). Open innovation: Are inbound and outbound knowledge flows really complementary? Strategic Management Journal, 37(6), 10341046. doi: 10.1002/smj.2375CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chandra, M., McManus, T., & Neelankavil, J. P. (2008). Product development and innovation for developing countries. Journal of Management Development, 27(10), 10171025. doi: 10.1108/02621710810916277CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, J., Zhao, X. T., & Wang, Y. D. (2015). A new measurement of intellectual capital and its impact on innovation performance in an open innovation paradigm. International Journal of Technology Management, 67(1), 125. doi: 10.1504/ijtm.2015.065885CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, X. H., Zhou, Y., Probert, D., & Su, J. (2017). Managing knowledge sharing in distributed innovation from the perspective of developers: Empirical study of open source software projects in China. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 29(1), 122. doi: 10.1080/09537325.2016.1194387CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheng, C. C. J., & Huizingh, E. K. R. E. (2014). When is open innovation beneficial? The role of strategic orientation. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(6), 12351253. doi: 10.1111/jpim.12148CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chesbrough, H. (2003a). The era of open innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 44(3), 3541.Google Scholar
Chesbrough, H. (2003b). Open innovation: The new imperative for creating and profiting from technology. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press.Google Scholar
Chesbrough, H. (2006a). Open business models: How to thrive in the new innovation landscape. Cambridge: Harvard Business Press.Google Scholar
Chesbrough, H. (2006b). Open innovation: A new paradigm for understanding industrial innovation. In Chesbrough, H., Vanhaverbeke, W., & West, J. (Eds.), Open innovation: Researching a new paradigm (pp. 112). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Chesbrough, H. (2007). Business model innovation: It's not just about technology anymore. Strategy & Leadership, 35(6), 1217. doi: 10.1108/10878570710833714CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chesbrough, H. (2011). Open services innovation: Rethinking your business to grow and compete in a new era (1st ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
Chesbrough, H. (2017). The future of open innovation: The future of open innovation is more extensive, more collaborative, and more engaged with a wider variety of participants. Research-Technology Management, 60(1), 3538. doi: 10.1080/08956308.2017.1255054CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chesbrough, H., & Crowther, A. (2006). Beyond high tech: Early adopters of open innovation in other industries. R and D Management, 36(3), 229236. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9310.2006.00428.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chiang, Y. H., & Hung, K. P. (2010). Exploring open search strategies and perceived innovation performance from the perspective of inter-organizational knowledge flows. R and D Management, 40(3), 292299. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9310.2010.00588.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christensen, J. F., Olesen, M. H., & Kjaer, J. S. (2005). The industrial dynamics of open innovation – evidence from the transformation of consumer electronics. Research Policy, 34(10), 15331549. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2005.07.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dabić, M., Maley, J., Dana, L.-P., Novak, I., Pellegrini, M. M., & Caputo, A. (2020). Pathways of SME internationalization: A bibliometric and systematic review. Small Business Economics, 55(3), 705725.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dahlander, L., & Gann, D. M. (2010). How open is innovation? Research Policy, 39(6), 699709. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2010.01.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Zubielqui, G. C., Fryges, H., & Jones, J. (2019). Social media, open innovation & HRM: Implications for performance. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 144, 334347. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2017.07.014.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Du, J., Leten, B., & Vanhaverbeke, W. (2014). Managing open innovation projects with science-based and market-based partners. Research Policy, 43(5), 828840. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2013.12.008CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Enkel, E., Gassmann, O., & Chesbrough, H. (2009). Open R&D and open innovation: Exploring the phenomenon. R and D Management, 39(4), 311316. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9310.2009.00570.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evanschitzky, H., Eisend, M., Calantone, R. J., & Jiang, Y. (2012). Success factors of product innovation: An updated meta-analysis. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 29, 2137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faems, D., de Visser, M., Andries, P., & Van Looy, B. (2010). Technology alliance portfolios and financial performance: Value-enhancing and cost-increasing effects of open innovation. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27(6), 785796. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-5885.2010.00752.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foege, J. N., Lauritzen, G. D., Tietze, F., & Salge, T. O. (2019). Reconceptualizing the paradox of openness: How solvers navigate sharing-protecting tensions in crowdsourcing. Research Policy, 48(6), 13231339. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2019.01.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gesing, J., Antons, D., Piening, E. P., Rese, M., & Salge, T. O. (2015). Joining forces or going It alone? On the interplay among external collaboration partner types, interfirm governance modes, and internal R& D. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 32(3), 424440. doi: 10.1111/jpim.12227CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Geyskens, I., Krishnan, R., Steenkamp, J.-B. E. M., & Cunha, P. V. (2008). A review and evaluation of meta-analysis practices in management research. Journal of Management, 35(2), 393419. doi: 10.1177/0149206308328501CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hatry, H. P. (2006). Performance measurement: Getting results. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.Google Scholar
Ho, Y.-P., Ruan, Y., Hang, C.-C., & Wong, P.-K. (2016). Technology upgrading of small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through a manpower secondment strategy – A mixed-methods study of Singapore's T-Up program. Technovation, 57/58, 2129. doi: 10.1016/j.technovation.2016.07.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hossain, M., Islam, K. M. Z., Sayeed, M. A., & Kauranen, I. (2016). A comprehensive review of open innovation literature. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 7(1), 225.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hossain, M., & Kauranen, I. (2016). Open innovation in SMEs: A systematic literature review. Journal of Strategy and Management, 9(1), 5873. doi: 10.1108/JSMA-08-2014-0072.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Howells, J., James, A., & Malik, K. (2003). The sourcing of technological knowledge: Distributed innovation processes and dynamic change. R&D Management, 33(4), 395409.Google Scholar
Huang, Y.-A., Chung, H.-J., & Lin, C. (2009). R&D sourcing strategies: Determinants and consequences. Technovation, 29(3), 155169. doi: 10.1016/j.technovation.2008.08.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, F., & Rice, J. (2012). Openness in product and process innovation. International Journal of Innovation Management, 16(4), 124. doi: 10.1142/S1363919612003812CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, F., Rice, J., Galvin, P., & Martin, N. (2014). Openness and appropriation: Empirical evidence from Australian businesses. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 61(3), 488498. doi: 10.1109/TEM.2014.2320995CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huizingh, E. K. R. E. (2011). Open innovation: State of the art and future perspectives. Technovation, 31(1), 29. doi: 10.1016/j.technovation.2010.10.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hung, K.-P., & Chou, C. (2013). The impact of open innovation on firm performance: The moderating effects of internal R&D and environmental turbulence. Technovation, 33(10-11), 368380. doi: 10.1016/j.technovation.2013.06.006CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunter, D. E., & Nielsen, S. B. (2013). Performance management and evaluation: Exploring complementarities. New Directions for Evaluation, 2013(137), 717.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kobarg, S., Stumpf-Wollersheim, J., & Welpe, I. M. (2019). More is not always better: Effects of collaboration breadth and depth on radical and incremental innovation performance at the project level. Research Policy, 48(1), 110. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2018.07.014CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kovacs, A., Van Looy, B., & Cassiman, B. (2015). Exploring the scope of open innovation: A bibliometric review of a decade of research. Scientometrics, 104(3), 951983. doi: 10.1007/s11192-015-1628-0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laursen, K., & Salter, A. J. (2014). The paradox of openness: Appropriability, external search and collaboration. Research Policy, 43(5), 867878. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2013.10.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lichtenthaler, U. (2011). Open innovation: Past research, current debates, and future directions. Academy of Management Perspectives, 25(1), 7593. doi: 10.5465/amp.2011.59198451Google Scholar
Lichtenthaler, U. (2015). A note on outbound open innovation and firm performance. R and D Management, 45(5), 606608. doi: 10.1111/radm.12138CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lichtenthaler, U., & Lichtenthaler, E. (2009). A capability-based framework for open innovation: Complementing absorptive capacity. Journal of Management Studies, 46(8), 13151338. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.2009.00854.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lipsey, M. W., & Wilson, D. B. (2001). Practical meta-analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.Google Scholar
Lopes, A., & de Carvalho, M. M. (2018). Evolution of the open innovation paradigm: Towards a contingent conceptual model. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 132, 284298. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2018.02.014CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mazzola, E., Bruccoleri, M., & Perrone, G.. (2012). The effect of inbound, outbound and coupled innovation on performance. International Journal of Innovation Management, 16(6), 127. doi: 10.1142/S1363919612400087.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moretti, F., & Biancardi, D. (2020). Inbound open innovation and firm performance. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 5(1), 119. doi: 10.1016/j.jik.2018.03.001.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Natalicchio, A., Ardito, L., Savino, T., & Albino, V. (2017). Managing knowledge assets for open innovation: A systematic literature review. Journal of Knowledge Management, 21(6), 13621383.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palumbo, R., Manesh, M. F., Pellegrini, M., Caputo, A., & Flamini, G. (2021). Organizing a sustainable smart urban ecosystem: Perspectives and insights from a bibliometric analysis and literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 297, 126622 .CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peterson, R. A., & Brown, S. P. (2005). On the Use of beta coefficients in meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(1), 175181. doi: 10.1037/0021-9010.90.1.175CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Popa, S., Soto-Acosta, P., & Martinez-Conesa, I. (2017). Antecedents, moderators, and outcomes of innovation climate and open innovation: An empirical study in SMEs. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 118, 134142. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2017.02.014CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Randhawa, K., Wilden, R., & Hohberger, J. (2016). A bibliometric review of open innovation: Setting a research agenda. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 33(6), 750772. doi: 10.1111/jpim.12312CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roper, S., Vahter, P., & Love, J. H. (2013). Externalities of openness in innovation. Research Policy, 42(9), 15441554. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2013.05.006CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rosenbusch, N., Brinckmann, J., & Bausch, A. (2011). Is innovation always beneficial? A meta-analysis of the relationship between innovation and performance in SMEs. Journal of Business Venturing, 26(4), 441457. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2009.12.002CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roth, P. L., Le, H., Oh, I.-S., Van Iddekinge, C. H., & Bobko, P. (2018). Using beta coefficients to impute missing correlations in meta-analysis research: Reasons for caution. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(6), 644658. doi: 10.1037/apl0000293CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sarooghi, H., Libaers, D., & Burkemper, A. (2015). Examining the relationship between creativity and innovation: A meta-analysis of organizational, cultural, and environmental factors. Journal of Business Venturing, 30(5), 714731.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmidt, T. (2006). An empirical analysis of the effects of patents and secrecy on knowledge spillovers. In. ZEW-Centre for European Economic Research Discussion Paper.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schroll, A., & Mild, A. (2012). A critical review of empirical research on open innovation adoption. Journal fur Betriebswirtschaft, 62(2), 85118. doi: 10.1007/s11301-012-0084-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shi, X. X., & Zhang, Q. P. (2018). Inbound open innovation and radical innovation capability The moderating role of organizational inertia. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31(3), 581597. doi: 10.1108/jocm-07-2017-0262CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sisodiya, S. R., Johnson, J. L., & Gregoire, Y. (2013). Inbound open innovation for enhanced performance: Enablers and opportunities. Industrial Marketing Management, 42(5), 836849. doi: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2013.02.018CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stam, W. (2009). When does community participation enhance the performance of open source software companies? Research Policy, 38(8), 12881299. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2009.06.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanley, T. D., Doucouliagos, H., & Steel, P. (2018). Does ICT generate economic growth? A meta-regression analysis. Journal of Economic Surveys, 32(3), 705726. doi: 10.1111/joes.12211CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stefan, I., & Bengtsson, L. (2017). Unravelling appropriability mechanisms and openness depth effects on firm performance across stages in the innovation process. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 120, 252260. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2017.03.014CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Storey, C., Cankurtaran, P., Papastathopoulou, P., & Hultink, E. J. (2016). Success factors for service innovation: A meta-analysis. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 33(5), 527548.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vanhaverbeke, W., Du, J., Leten, B., & Aalders, F. (2014). Exploring open innovation at the level of R&D projects. In Chesbrough, H., Vanhaverbeke, W., & West, J. (Eds.), New frontiers in open innovation (pp. 115131). Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Villasalero, M. (2018). Multi-Business firms, knowledge flows and intra-network open innovations. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 9(1), 162179. doi: 10.1007/s13132-015-0330-zCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walsh, J. P., Lee, Y. N., & Nagaoka, S. (2016). Openness and innovation in the US: Collaboration form, idea generation and implementation. Research Policy, 45(8), 172183. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2016.04.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, C. H., Chang, C. H., & Shen, G. C. (2015). The effect of inbound open innovation on firm performance: Evidence from high-tech industry. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 99, 222230. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2015.07.006CrossRefGoogle Scholar
West, J. (2006). Does appropriability enable or retard open innovation. In Chesbrough, H., Vanhaverbeke, W., & West, J. (Eds.), Open innovation: Researching a new paradigm (pp. 109133). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
West, J., & Bogers, M. (2014). Leveraging external sources of innovation: A review of research on open innovation. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(4), 814831. doi: 10.1111/jpim.12125CrossRefGoogle Scholar
West, J., & Gallagher, S. (2006). Patterns of open innovation in open source software. In Chesbrough, H., Vanhaverbeke, W., & West, J. (Eds.), Open innovation: Researching a new paradigm (pp. 82106). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
West, J., Salter, A., Vanhaverbeke, W., & Chesbrough, H. (2014). Open innovation: The next decade. Research Policy, 43, 805811. doi: 10.1016/j.respol.2014.03.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
West, J., Vanhaverbeke, W., & Chesbrough, H. (2006). Open innovation: A research agenda. In Chesbrough, H., Vanhaverbeke, W., & West, J. (Eds.), Open innovation: Researching a new paradigm (pp. 285307). Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Zobel, A.-K., Lokshin, B., & Hagedoorn, J. (2017). Formal and informal appropriation mechanisms: The role of openness and innovativeness. Technovation, 59, 4454. doi: 10.1016/j.technovation.2016.10.001CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Nguyen et al. supplementary material

Nguyen et al. supplementary material

Download Nguyen et al. supplementary material(File)
File 61.2 KB