Modes of open innovation in ecosystems: Exploring for Managerial Playbook

The paper explores how open innovation manifests in the innovation ecosystems. The empirical data was collected through 35 in-depth interviews and three round table discussions in 13 innovation ecosystems. The findings suggest that resource sharing and integration takes predominantly place in dyadic relationships in individual innovation projects. Only new project ideas are brainstormed at the ecosystem level. One clear reason seems to be lack of open innovation tradition in companies. Thus innovation ecosystems appear to act more as innovation project boosters than promoters of open innovation activities, which seems to be the task of individual projects. This highlights the importance of open innovation facilitation in innovation ecosystems and creation of collaborative capabilities among the participants.