Understanding Open Innovation in Terms of Interorganizational Relationships: A Conceptual Review

Open innovation assumes that the boundaries of organizations are more permeable and open, provides a flow of information which is based on innovation activities between the organization and its environment and focuses on the direction, nature and conditions of the flow of information. It requires interorganizational relationships and it is realized through making innovation activities with other organizations by joining some innovation networks. The paper aims to discuss open innovation by assumptions and concepts of some organizational theories. For this purpose, approaches of open system, population ecology and social network are addressed as the framework to comment on the mindset of open innovation in terms of interorganizational relationships. In addition to this, the new competition and strategy approaches and roles of managers as decision makers while deciding open innovation are explained in terms of open innovation