Abstract
Literature on innovation emphasises the potential for organisations to collaborate and
network instead of carrying out innovation individually. Integrating suppliers, customers
and other organisations into the innovation process is perceived as a key to success in
innovation management (Chesbrough, 2003). Furthermore, the management of the initial
phase of the innovation process has proven vital to the overall innovation success (Kim
and Wilemon, 2002b,a). Although the merits of network-based innovations are widely
acknowledged, the managerial challenges of the initial integration of external organisations
in an innovation network are somewhat neglected in the literature. The aim of this paper is
hence to address the challenges that an organisation faces when integrating a plurality of
suppliers, customers and other organisations into the Fuzzy Front End of the innovation
process.
network instead of carrying out innovation individually. Integrating suppliers, customers
and other organisations into the innovation process is perceived as a key to success in
innovation management (Chesbrough, 2003). Furthermore, the management of the initial
phase of the innovation process has proven vital to the overall innovation success (Kim
and Wilemon, 2002b,a). Although the merits of network-based innovations are widely
acknowledged, the managerial challenges of the initial integration of external organisations
in an innovation network are somewhat neglected in the literature. The aim of this paper is
hence to address the challenges that an organisation faces when integrating a plurality of
suppliers, customers and other organisations into the Fuzzy Front End of the innovation
process.
| Original language | Danish |
|---|---|
| Journal | International Journal of Innovation Management |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 145-163 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| ISSN | 1363-9196 |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |