Title: Solving the 'heterogeneity puzzle': a comparative look at SMEs growth determinants in open and closed innovation patterns

Authors: Cristina Marullo; Alberto Di Minin; Irene Martelli; Andrea Piccaluga

Addresses: Institute of Management and EMBEDS Department, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, 56127, Italy ' Institute of Management and EMBEDS Department, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, 56127, Italy ' Institute of Management and EMBEDS Department, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, 56127, Italy ' Institute of Management and EMBEDS Department, Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, 56127, Italy

Abstract: This study enhances the current understanding of the extent to which the open innovation paradigm is embedded in SMEs by identifying and comparing three different and unrelated configurations of innovation practices (closed, partner-oriented and user-oriented innovation). It also contributes to the ongoing empirical debate on open innovation in SMEs by exploring the influence that new knowledge generation capacity, absorptive capacity and appropriation capacity exert as growth determinants in the different patterns. The results have both theoretical and practical relevance, giving consistency to the hypothesis that SMEs pursuing different innovation patterns have different paths to growth.

Keywords: open innovation; SMEs; configurations; strategies; R&D; knowledge generation; absorptive capacity; appropriation; performance; growth.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2020.110099

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2020 Vol.24 No.6, pp.443 - 464

Accepted: 05 Jun 2019
Published online: 06 Oct 2020 *

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