Open innovation in the public sector: exploring the role and dynamics of public open innovation intermediaries
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Date
02/12/2021Item status
Restricted AccessEmbargo end date
02/12/2023Author
Adebajo, Adedapo
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Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to explore the role and dynamics of open innovation intermediaries in
the public sector. Specifically, the study examines their functions and critically evaluates their
benefits and the barriers to their intermediary activities. Open innovation intermediaries are
regarded as organisations, platforms and agents that mediate and broker collaborative
relationships between parties. From a private sector standpoint, these types of intermediaries
are also construed by innovation management scholars as matchmakers who connect
innovation seekers and innovation providers, facilitators of collaboration and agents of
technology commercialisation. However, an understanding of the role of open innovation
intermediaries from a public sector perspective remains elusive. Although, few public
management researchers have explored the functions of open innovation intermediaries in the
public sector, there is paucity of knowledge about their dynamics in terms of their intermediary
processes, the contextual characteristics, and the implications of their activities on public sector
open innovation.
Against this backdrop, this research study adopted a qualitative research methodology and used
a case study approach in exploring the role of four public open innovation intermediaries. Semi structured interviews, non-participant observations and documentary analysis constituted the
data gathering methods while analysis took an inductive form in which themes and categories
emerged from the data as findings of the study. Findings revealed three main benefits and
functions of public open innovation intermediaries and four types of barriers to their
intermediary processes in the public sector.
This thesis makes a theoretical contribution by explicating the dynamics of public open
innovation intermediary processes. It conceptualises these processes as two forms: social
networking and seeker-solver intermediary processes and explains their contextual
characteristics by pointing out their commonalities and differences. Furthermore, the study
expands the understanding of the role of public open innovation intermediaries and enlightens
on the differences between a private sector oriented open innovation intermediary and a public
sector open innovation intermediary.