How Open is Open Innovation?
Editor | On 01, Jan 2010
Message: 1227Posted by: A Jangbrand
Posted on: Friday, 22nd February 2008
I had this fantastic idea on how to improve cell phones. I looked up the major phone manufacturers so I could share this idea. But it was hard to find a way to submit ideas to them. One of them (a large innovative phone developer/manufacturer) had a channel for submitting ideas. A very creative and innovative major cell phone developer and manufactirer. So – I wrote them a small message and the response was:
“This is to inform you that […] is not accepting external ideas for consideration at this time, unless you have a published patent aplication or a granted patent.” Not based on exhaustive research – but only one of the companies I tried to contact had an easy-to-find way to receive ideas. But not even that company would consider external ideas without an associated patent . For the record I should note that I am not a “cell phone designer” and my rough idea needed of course skilled engineers to be developed. I also have been looking for “suggestion boxes” on many sites. But found very few. Although I do share my best ideas with companies with varied results. I have even shared the same idea with different companies (e.g. car manufactuers). And they of course reacted very differently to the same idea. From ignoring the idea to connetcing me with the development department. But, very few companies seems to be prepared for this kind of input. Are the companies just “speaking” to us without “listening”? They sometimes ask for feedback on their products, services or quality. But how come they don't ask us for new ideas. Or ask for help developing their products? Many companies seems to be busy pushing information, downloads, support, information and even ideas in our direction. They are eager to help us, support us, inform us – but how about the other way around. How can we (=anyone) support and develop them? Why are so few companies opening up for us all to help them? Why do so few companies challenge people? Where on Ford's homepage is that button “Submit Your idea for how to improve our next car”? “Ideas for a Greener Car”? Why don't more companies advertise their problems and ask for help? I would assume that many of us have ideas on how companies can improve their products, become greener, or in other ways move towards a more ideal world… Check out your own company. Are you asking the “world” for help? Do you accept external ideas? Do you have an “idea box” for visitors? What companies do you know that would let anyone contribute in their development processes, innovation processes – and even encourages it? What is you view on this? Do “open innovation” means engaging anyone – or is “open innovation” something that happens in well defined established structures between corporations?
Message: 1236
Posted by: Ellen Domb
Posted on: Monday, 25th February 2008
See this press release from Feb. 22–organized open innovation is growing rapidly. But many companies have strong resistance to truly spontaneous open innovation, in part because of problems with proving legal ownership of intellectual property that is developed by multiple parties.
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=823877&sourceType=2
Message: 1241
Posted by: A Jangbrand
Posted on: Thursday, 28th February 2008
It seems that Ford actually have that “Submit your idea button”. At least Ford in Canada. If they are serious about it – that initiative could take them in the direction of “more open innovation”.
It was in the “News”-section here on Realinnovation the other day. Here some information http://www.sys-con.com/read/507396.htm
or even jump directly to the site: http://www.fordpby.ca/
Message: 1247
Posted by: Ellen Domb
Posted on: Friday, 7th March 2008
Here's an article on Open Innovation that suggests some negatives as well as positives.
http://bulletin.sciencebusiness.net/ebulletins/showissue.php3?page=/548/art/10107&ch=1
Message: 1251
Posted by: S.Mahdi Golestan Hashemi
Posted on: Friday, 14th March 2008
Organizational / Managerial Studies show that we can consider Open Innovation related to the Total Creativity & Innovatiom Management System .
TCIM or TIM ( Total Innovation Management ) , ( such as TQM ) is an comprehensive Creatological approach to the Creativity and Innovation in the organization .
Message: 1253
Posted by: Kelly
Posted on: Saturday, 15th March 2008
You've mentioned this system before without much evidence to back it up.
Open innovation seems to have a great deal to do with working in close partnerships with other companies – that relationship with the peers determines what they are able to achieve. I think that if a company is able to prove themselves open to working outside their normal, closed organizations, then it leads to more opportunities to begin to develop breakthrough solutions within a company. If that precedence for openness begins, then that's all that is needed to keep going and become greater disruptors.
Message: 1254
Posted by: S. Mahdi Golestan Hashemi
Posted on: Sunday, 16th March 2008
Also we can consider Open Innovation , as Participative and Collaborative Research & Innovation . Networking play an important role in Open Innovation , such as “Collaborative Innovation Networks”( COINs ) and especially ” Virtual Research & Innovation Networs ” (VRIN )” , E- Creativity & Innovation Networks , E-Innovation , ICT-based Creatology , that are systems for development of Collaborative Innovation and are sub-systems of Total Innovation Management System ( TIMS ) .