Innovation and its management has been a current challenge for companies in the knowledge economy. Open innovation is a system that creates and uses synergies from sharing and collaboration. The digital economy and society support the emergence and functioning of open innovation systems. In the Slovak Republic´s environment, the management of innovations through an open mechanism is a perspective for the development of knowledge intensive business services (KIBS). These services are an important link in the value chain of the Slovak economy focused primarily on the automotive industry. The article deals with the creation of a model of open innovation in the environment of KIBS production in the Slovak Republic. Its elements and their classification are based on the results of the primary survey carried out by the Delphi method. The importance of individual elements thus reflects the priorities of innovation management of KIBS companies in the Slovak Republic. In the current theory, we do not find a model with these specifications. The presented model thus represents an original result supported by the primary research in a specific environment. The construction of the model identifies three building components of the open innovation mechanism: preparation and planning, implementation, evaluation of outputs and a value creation. They are complemented by factors, risks and effects. The model provides the possibility of measurement at the level of inputs and outputs.

The issue of open innovation has become a popular topic in recent years. The literature review revealed that within the Open Innovation theories and its aspects, some elements were differently defined which showed a space for further exploration. The main aim of the paper is to synthesize knowledge about open innovation and to create a basic model of the open innovation environment in terms of influencing factors and to identify relevant actors, that may be part of this process. The primary method was a secondary survey aimed at the analyze of 24 definitions and integrating scientific definitions of open innovation, its factors, barriers and relevant players. By synthesizing this knowledge, we have developed a basic model of open innovation factors and identified relevant players in this process. This paper is part of the author's dissertation thesis, which aims to design and test an open innovation model in the service sector. The model will include all factors contained in this article. Further model could be used as an effective tool for implementing open innovation and evaluating its usefulness for theories and praxis as well.