Three Selected Open Innovation Methods: Introduction

Before we dig into the details of the three Open Innovation methods we have chosen for this module, it is important that we discuss some differentiating factors that can be observed among those methods – and that you should bear in mind in case you ever want to run an Open Innovation project and must select the appropriate method.

When gaining knowledge from outside sources, different selection processes, degrees of interaction and types of collaboration can be observed. Each Open Innovation project requires a targeted approach based on the prior evaluation whether the knowledge that is required is very specific, progressive and owned only by very few, or whether it is a kind of knowledge that is less specialized, owned by many and widely distributed. We know that this sounds complicated but believe us – once you think it through based on the following three methods, you will understand.