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Ozan, H. (2009) - Online Collaboration and Innovation Networks
Ozan, H. (2009) - Online Collaboration and Innovation Networks
NETWORKS”
Håkan Ozan, CSC
June 2009
”ONLINE COLLABORATION AND
INNOVATION NETWORKS”
Håkan Ozan, CSC
June 2009
June 2009
The most fascinating finding was number of people required for such
that the average time spent on a network would have been much
developing the winning innovative too time-consuming and expensive
solution was 74 (!) hours, compared to pursue, but with new technology
to 6 to 24 months spent by the and new collaboration models the
companies’ internal research teams. cost is negligible compared to the
Lakhani’s conclusion was simple; gains received. With decent
innovators reused previous communication skills, a little
solutions. They recognized the new market knowledge, a few web tools
problem’s pattern and applied a and some good management
similar solution to the same (or practices your company may
similar) problem, only in a different relatively easy build its own
context. Lakhani’s conclusion was network of innovators - from which
also that since the solution was it may profit immensely. As written
found outside the originating in Swarm Creativity by Peter Gloor:
corporation’s area of
expertise, they were also
very unlikely to have found “There are some basic differences between
the solution on their own, the pre-Internet innovation networks and the
Internet-enabled collaborative innovation
other than by chance. As
networks of today. Members of innovation
professor Frank Piller of networks of the pre-Internet age had a
Aachen University states - fundamentally different attitude toward
pioneer companies have authority, transparency, and meritocracy.
started to spend less effort But the biggest difference is the existence of
on solution-seeking and the Internet, which gives today’s community
more effort on problem- members immediate global reach at very low
broadcasting, hence cost; it allows teams to collaborate at a level
improving cost-efficiency in of transparency never before possible.”
the innovation process.
Further reading
De Bono, E. (1993). Serious Creativity: Using The Power of Lateral Thinking to Create
New Ideas. HarperBusiness.
Lakhani, K.R., (2006). The core and the periphery in distributed and self-organizing
innovation systems. Doctoral dissertation, Sloan School of Management.
Open Innovation
From the Open Innovation Forum’s perspective open innovation involves all aspects
of creating new business opportunities by engaging end-users in co-creative
activities. Web 2.0 technologies has caused electronic collaboration to evolve, hence
paving the way for companies to invite customers and employees to be involved in
the refinement of their offerings. Ideally open innovation will create win-win
situations where users get services that are more oriented to their needs and
organizations will offer services that are more desired by the market.
www.openinnovationforum.com
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