Open Innovation

6When Practice Becomes the Model to Follow: the Adoption of CI

The academic approach dictates that working with empirical data sometimes enables you to generate a generalist model. However, it is appropriate here to state several points to be completely clear in our line of argument.

In the research that I have conducted, my aim was to produce an analytical generalization (using analyses), as opposed to generalization to a given group or population (statistical generalization). I was faced with contexts, activity sectors, the maturity of various mechanisms and other such issues, which differ over the course of time. I have sought to appreciate both strategic similarities and differences in the situations, which those I spoke to described to me. However, data analysis was produced identically on each occasion, which is a fundamental point, as I wanted to carry out a form of research that is both valid and reliable.

Obviously, it is appropriate to take precautions to avoid making too swift a generalization of the results for all OI mechanisms. I studied CI systems, a symbolic feature of OI. By “symbolic”, I simply mean that it revolves around the form of OI, which is presently developing the most within large groups. However, player ambitions can evolve over time and OI, because it is so-called “protean”, may also have numerous other features.

Moreover, from a theoretical viewpoint, I have identified, from my analyses of field concepts and theories, those analyses that seemed ...