CEOs in Innovative SMEs: Open Innovation Initiators and Facilitators

Joon Mo Ahn, Tim Minshall and Letizia Mortara

Chapter 6 in Open Innovation: Unveiling the Power of the Human Element, 2017, pp 135-166 from World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

Abstract: In small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where typically the decision-making process is highly centralized, important decisions, such as innovation adoption and implementation, will be strongly influenced by Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). Based on Upper Echelon Theory (UET), which emphasizes CEOs’ limited awareness, this chapter shows that a firm’s open innovation (OI) journey is closely linked with the CEOs’ cognitive characteristics, their past experience and personal network of relationships. The case analysis results suggest that the micro-foundation of OI is deeply rooted in a key individual’s characteristics in innovative SMEs.

Keywords: Open Innovation; Human Side; Organizational; Skills; Capabilities; Readiness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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