Does Crowdsourcing as Part of User-Driven Innovation Activity Affect Its Results? An Empirical Analysis of R&D Departments in Poland

Katarzyna Szopik-Depczyńska, Izabela Dembińska, Agnieszka Barczak, Angelika Kędzierska-Szczepaniak, Krzysztof Szczepaniak, Radosław Depczyński and Giuseppe Ioppolo
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Katarzyna Szopik-Depczyńska: Faculty of Economics, Finance and Management, Institute of Management, University of Szczecin, Cukrowa 8, 71-004 Szczecin, Poland
Izabela Dembińska: Faculty of Economics and Engineering of Transport, Maritime University of Szczecin, ul. Pobożnego 11, 70-507 Szczecin, Poland
Agnieszka Barczak: Faculty of Economics, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, ul. Janickiego 31, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
Angelika Kędzierska-Szczepaniak: Faculty of Management, University of Gdansk, ul. Armii Krajowej 101, 82-814 Sopot, Poland
Krzysztof Szczepaniak: Faculty of Management, University of Gdansk, ul. Armii Krajowej 101, 82-814 Sopot, Poland
Radosław Depczyński: Doctoral School, Institute of Management, University of Szczecin, Cukrowa 8, 71-004 Szczecin, Poland
Giuseppe Ioppolo: Department of Economics, University of Messina, Via dei Verdi 75, 98122 Messina, Italy

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: Entrepreneurs have long been convinced about the power and possibilities of the Internet. Nowadays, the Internet is an integral tool for the functioning of a company, not only as an alternative distribution channel, but also as a channel of information and communication flow, a means of interaction with the environment. The increasing use of the Internet, and especially of social media, made it possible to escalate the activity of various social groups in various areas of the company’s activity, including innovation, leading to the development of crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing has redefined the existing production rules and ways of using labor resources. Its potential lies in openness, partnership, resource sharing and global action. There are already many studies on crowdsourcing and innovation, but little attention is paid to the relationship between crowdsourcing and the determinants of innovation activity. Thus, the aim of this research is examining whether the use of crowdsourcing while cooperating with product users in accordance with the concept of user-driven innovation (UDI) has an impact on selected aspects of innovative activity. An original questionnaire was used for the study. Fifty-seven R&D departments in Poland participated in the research. For the purpose of the analysis, the Kendall and V-Cramer tau correlation coefficient was used. These methods are complemented by the Ward agglomeration method. The research results show a cooperation with consumer results in the development of innovative activities in the studied R&D departments of enterprises in Poland. Using crowdsourcing results in the introduction of more product innovations, the introduction of new or significantly improved technological processes, as well as the implementation of a greater number of research and development projects.

Keywords: crowdsourcing; innovation; user-driven innovation; management; social media (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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