How to Tell If Your Organization is Committed to Open Innovation

The term "Open Innovation" can is often used in abe able to meet this goal.
very subjective manner, so measuring its degree of2)The Organization Structure Supports Open
implementation in one organization compared toInnovation on the Project. Roles such as Global
another is difficult.Competitive Technical Intelligence and Technology
However, Open Innovation does have a lessBrokerage are staffed and available as matrixed
subjective definition per Henry Chesbrough. It is thebusiness functions to the project. These experts
organization's ability to use "purposive inflows andparticipate iteratively in the full product development life
outflows of knowledge to accelerate internalcycle. They assist and enable the product
innovation, and expand the markets for external use ofdevelopment team to source and commercialize
innovation, respectively." Joel West, one oftechnology ideas using the external ideas market.
Chesbrough's key open innovation collaborators,3)The Company's R&D Ph.D.s Are Using Open
restates it as "using the market rather than internalInnovation Business Intelligence Tools to Support Their
hierarchies to source and commercialize innovations."Ideation Process. Global IP strategy workups
In our work at Oval Ideas, Inc. withimplement Chesbrough's recommendation of rendering
technologies-products companies that haveIP in terms of how it fits to add value to a specific
implemented "Open Innovation" or "Connect andBusiness Model, ie, a visualization of each patent in
Develop" behaviors, we find a number of key bestterms of how it fits the specific technology stack.
practices in place that fit with and supportR&D staff can rapidly mine for IP in terms of the
Chesbrough's definition and model.problem to be solved, and who best to buy it from or
In terms of results, these companies are finding 2-3sell it to.
times more viable product ideas outside now versus4)The Company Has a Business Practices in Place
their results 2-3 years ago.that Rapidly Resolve Open Innovation Go or No-Go
We have observed four key behaviors as indicatorsDecisions. Technical and Business Risk Scoring Grids
that a project is an open innovation paradigm project.of candidate Open Innovation Ideas are in place that
1)The CEO Supports Open Innovation Practices on theenable rapid cross-functional rating of viability and
Project. The CEO has set a stretch goal for thepriority for in-sourcing and out-sourcing of product
percentage of R&D ideas to be sourced fromideas.
outside the company, and has funded the business to