4. Examining the Applicability of Outside-In Open Innovation Approaches for Small B-to-B Businesses

The purpose of this paper was to investigate and provide practical implications on the applicability of open innovation in small B-to-B businesses (less than 100 employees) and to determine which open innovation approach is most appropriate for small businesses. A qualitative research design based on an interpretive epistemological methodology in the form of six semistructured interviews with senior managers of small B-to-B businesses was applied. It was found that the key competences of absorptive capacity and collaborative capability exist in small B-to-B businesses or was at least perceived to be sufficient to apply open innovation. Customer involvement was established to be the most promising open innovation approach, followed by R&D outsourcing. There was no agreement on whether collaborations with universities could and/or should be applied or not. As with any qualitative research design, generalizability is limited. This paper provides a conceptual framework for further research in the not yet explicitly researched field of applying open innovation in small B-to-B businesses.