Capturing the Bigger Picture? Applying Text Analytics to Foster Open Innovation Processes for Sustainability-Oriented Innovation

Peter Wehnert, Christoph Kollwitz, Christofer Daiberl, Barbara Dinter and Markus Beckmann
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Peter Wehnert: Corporate Sustainability Management, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Findelgasse 7, 90402 Nuremberg, Germany
Christoph Kollwitz: Business Information Systems I, Chemnitz University of Technology, Thüringer Weg 7, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
Christofer Daiberl: Information Systems—Innovation and Value Creation, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Lange Gasse 20, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany
Barbara Dinter: Business Information Systems I, Chemnitz University of Technology, Thüringer Weg 7, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
Markus Beckmann: Corporate Sustainability Management, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Findelgasse 7, 90402 Nuremberg, Germany

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-24

Abstract: In open innovation initiatives for sustainability-oriented innovations, it is indispensable to have a wide array of engaging stakeholders. Yet, as not all relevant actors are able or willing to participate, important opinions can go unnoticed. Due to such stakeholder selection effects, aspects of high relevance may remain uncaptured. To address this issue, we first define the concept of silent stakeholders and relate it to sustainability-oriented innovations. We then discuss the new approach of employing analytical methods to examine existing sources outside the innovation process for silent stakeholder opinions. For this purpose, we conduct an action research study demonstrating how to examine broad discourse data with text analytics for an open innovation project aiming to create a sustainability-oriented innovation. To this end, we develop an approach for the efficient integration of external sources in open innovation processes. We find that text analytics of broad discourse data can particularly support the orientation and idea generation phase for sustainability-oriented innovation. Furthermore, we identify possibilities for the application of further data mining methods to complement open innovation approaches along the innovation process. Building on that, we propose an integrated framework. Hence, we add to the literature on stakeholder participation, analytical methods and innovation management, as well as sustainability-oriented innovation.

Keywords: sustainability-oriented innovation; open innovation; text analytics; data mining; discourse data; silent stakeholder; action research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3710-:d:176016

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