When Open Innovation Means Closed Sessions Breakthroughs Happen
Over the years the notion of open innovation has taken on completely new meanings and in particular the fallibility of what complete openness in the innovation process entails and amounts to. While the cause of openness can be socially ( media ) valuable the reality of the R&D model, and more importantly, a loose lips sink ships reality check is a factor not to be overlooked. When it comes to IP protection ( the main tenant in any true breakthrough innovation gambit ) the open innovation gauntlet ( if the sole process by which innovation at a firm is evaluated ) can be the death nail for any organization’s train racing down this track.
Open innovation and specifically as described in Open to a Select Few – Matching Partners and Knowledge Content for Open Innovation Performance – Using Explorative And Exploitative Knowledge we learn one of the most valuable lessons in creating breakthroughs and not just incremental enhancements: explorative knowledge efforts in often open formats negatively effects novelty and very limited effect on efficiency thus open innovation dilutes breakthrough efforts but increases social innovation for what that is worth, but more specifically where breadth has a negative effect on efficiency and limited effect on novelty with the reality check that unless novelty is turned to patented efforts, all is for not. Open Offense vs Deterministic Defense. Either way, value can be created, the only question is by who, and how fast. Breaking on through never looked so good for ROI radicals inside the most forward thinking companies.