#	Pagina
attuale pagina	/open-h2020/projects/200839/results.html

Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INSPIRE (INtegrated Support of oPen Innovation pRofessionalization initiative)

Teaser

Summary

The problem addressed is the how policy-makers, academics and practitioners (e.g. SME managers) can understand better the process of Open Innovation (OI) from the perspective of SMEs. By default, SMEs must engage with identifying and using resources from outside their organisation, due their limited resources (limited capital, limited time etc.). In fact their limited resources characteristic is in tension with their increased ability to conceive new ideas and develop new approaches. However SMEs do not engage in the process of identifying and using external resources in a professional way, leading a process with a lot of shortcomings and most critically not serving their interests.

The vast amount of SMEs in Europe makes them a very significant element of our economy and our society. Firstly without SMEs and the specialised products and services they are offering, the economy would find very difficult to operate. For instance, one of the economy actors that would suffer a lot from a shortage of SMEsâ€™ products and services would be the large corporations who are not able to produce (in an efficient way) the variety of tailored products and services that SMEs provide them. Secondly at least 50% of the working population works today in SMEs; improving the fortunes of SMEs means in practice improving the practices of their workforce and therefore improving the living standards of European society. Thirdly, according to recent research, setting-up and growing an SME is a high priority for a lot of young individuals; helping them to understand how to develop more effective mechanisms for growing their enterprises is certainly a critical help for a generation which suffers from the consequences of an economic crisis. Finally, historical research has proved time and time again, that a lot of the new and powerful innovation ideas come from smaller companies, enabling the economic system to renew but also to become more productive.

The INSPIRE project carries out a large research in all regions Europe to understand in depth the factors that play a role in this process. To achieve this, the INSPIRE team has carried out 116 case studies, investigating the process of OI for these SMEs, the challenges they experience and the solutions they gave. This understanding is used to develop management modules to support OI for the benefit of SMEs. These modules can be used by SMEs or by the people who support them (e.g. coaches, consultants, mentors, technology transfer officers etc.) The case studies and the management modules will form the INSPIRE system, a web-based system to become available to the European innovation ecosystem to support their SMEs.

Work performed

The main emphasis in this first period of the project has been to identify and develop good practice case studies from across Europe. Europe was divided in six regions with relatively homogeneous historical and economic characteristics: Eastern European countries, France & Germany, Scandinavian Countries, Small Developed Countries, Southern Europe countries and UK and Ireland. 308 cases have been identified through desktop research as potential good practice cases. Following this, 117 in depth case studies were developed out of semi-structured interviews with their leaders as well as desktop research in other sources.

An analysis of the 117 case studies was also performed by a group of academic experts. The analysis distinguished between different patterns of OI (OI with other SMEs, OI with large corporations, OI with Public Sector Research organisations and OI with the crown and individuals). Fro each â€˜typeâ€™ of OI the following issues were identified: (i) the characteristics of SMEs engaging in these OI relationships (ii) the SME motives for partnering (iii) the kind of problems they try to resolve (iv) the patterns of OI followed and (v) the Critical Success factors.
The analysis has been used by the consortium to start the development of management modules to support SMEs in OI. A first structure for all management modules was developed together with a list of the critical issues these modules address. Following this work, a first draft of all modules has been developed with a peer review of the first versions from other consortium members and members of the Advisory Board.

Final results

Current literature has not discussed sufficiently the issue of OI from the perspectives of an SME, especially the management challenges that an SME has when trying to manage the OI process. Current contributions discuss a high level picture of OI for SMEs, offering very little insights on issues like the variety of patterns of OI SME follow, the characteristics of SMEs following different patterns of OI, the SMEsâ€™ strategic motivations, the challenges and the difficulties they are facing when they are managing the process of OI etc.

A large effort has been undertaken to: (a) raise awareness, provide information and disseminate project findings -how to professionalize open innovation management in SMEs to the identified target groups; and (b) to mobilise and engage SMEs, innovation practitioners and other stakeholders in the project activities and for the take up of the INSPIRE Open Innovation System. By Month 18 some 211 OI experts had signed up to the INSPIRE discussion group on LinkedIn and recruitment continues. On average 1-2 posts are published on a weekly basis. An INSPIRE page was launched on Facebook and through its 30 posts has managed to reach over 6,400 people. The INSPIRE news is reposted regularly on the OPEN INNOVATION IN SMEs group (775 members) helping it to become a popular contributor and reaching on average +100 people each time. Finally participation in conferences/workshops has helped to raise awareness about INSPIRE among some 800 academics/innovation practitioners. Two scientific papers elaborated on the basis of the INSPIRE analysis performed in WP1 were presented by partner Lappeenranta University of Technology.