Open Innovation and Sourcing

Abstract

The aim of this work is to analyze the relation existing between the fundamental role played by innovation in business competitiveness and the increasing tendency of sourcing knowledge and innovation adopted by companies. In today’s globalized economy, dominated by fast and unpredictable changes, there is a myriad of companies and other entities, which are interrelated and connected one to another through collaborations and formal or informal relationships. Cooperating with other entities could be a significant source of innovation and consequently, a source of competitive advantage. In this maze of relations, particular attention is paid to the logic of open innovation, which is increasingly chosen by lots of firms: in order to accelerate their internal innovation, thus their competitiveness, they are willing to open their boundaries and making them as much permeable as possible, by exchanging external and internal ideas in the most profitable and efficient way. Finally, to provide a practical demonstration of the literature studied and reported, a case study has been presented. It is about an innovative Italian business platform recently launched by an Italian entrepreneur, which supports new models and ways of doing business, being an efficient meeting and connection point for managers, entrepreneurs, talents, ideas and institutions. In particular a specific project the platform has started with the airline company Air Dolomiti is taken into consideration since it could exactly reflect and prove some of the theory explaining the rationale of open innovation and sourcing, which lies behind the entire work.