Adoption of Open Innovation in the Internationalization of Knowledge Intensive Firms

Jurgita Sekliuckiene; Rimante Sedziniauskiene; Vilius Viburys

doi:10.5755/j01.ee.27.5.15371

Authors

Jurgita Sekliuckiene Kaunas University of Technology
Rimante Sedziniauskiene Kaunas University of Technology
Vilius Viburys Kaunas University of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.27.5.15371

Keywords:

Open Innovation, internationalization, collaboration, national and foreign partners, knowledge intensive firms

Abstract

Involvement in different open innovation activities by using inflows and outflows of knowledge becomes the important premise for a successful business. However, on a global scale, open innovation literature does not pay enough attention to the international dimension, which is essential when seeking to increase the performance of overseas firm’s activities. Therefore, the paper aims to highlight coherences of open innovation and internationalization by analyzing knowledge intensive SMEs in Lithuania. Referring to case studies approach it is disclosed how much firms are open in performing innovative activities by collaborating, how they share knowledge, what main profiles of national and foreign partners are and how open innovation is applied in internationalizing firm’s activity. The research results indicated that firms while innovating were mostly focused on the R&D ecosystem oriented and innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem oriented networks at the national level. However, when internationalizing firm’s activities, the preference to the international value chain oriented innovation network was disclosed. It contributes to the theory of open innovation from the knowledge intensive firms’ internationalization point of view, especially in the understanding of open innovation’s role in pursuing fast development in foreign markets while providing further knowledge on internationalization of firms originating from Baltic region area.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.27.5.15371

Author Biographies

Jurgita Sekliuckiene, Kaunas University of Technology

Jurgita Sekliuckiene is a Professor of International Business at the Kaunas University of Technology. She holds a PhD from the Kaunas University of Technology in Management and Business Administration. Her research interests are in the area of internationalisation, international entrepreneurship and innovation, strategic management, with a special interest in emerging market BGC’s, INVs and multinationals. She is the author and co-author of conference contributions, over 40 peer-reviewed publications, and several books and monograph chapters in the field of international business, service business and emerging markets.

Rimante Sedziniauskiene, Kaunas University of Technology

Rimante Sedziniauskiene is pursuing her PhD in Management and at the same time is working as junior researcher at the Department of Strategic Management, School of Economics and Business, Kaunas University of Technology. Her research interests are in the area of entrepreneurship, internationalization of SMEs, open innovation and business networks.

Vilius Viburys, Kaunas University of Technology

Vilius Viburys holds a Master’s degree in International Business from Kaunas University of Technology. His research interest fields are open innovation, start-ups and internationalisation.