Open Innovation Emerging Challenges and Practices in Brazil

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the best practices and challenges of innovation management in large companies in Brazil. Theoretical framework: This paper draws upon recent literature on open innovation, with particular attention to communication processes and challenges. The research adopts Chesbrough´s open innovation (OI) definition and develops its argument from Mortara and Minshall´s proposal of OI high-level trends (CHESBROUGH; VANHAVERBEKE; WEST, 2006; MORTARA; MINSHAL, 2017). Design/methodology/approach: The researchers conducted qualitative research of eleven interviews with innovation leaders of big multinational companies. The corpus was submitted to a framework analysis, which allowed for identifying 63 emerging themes, structured in a thematic framework that supported the interpretation procedure. Findings: Key findings include the development of five emerging categories of management types, innovation drivers, and communicational dimensions. Research, Practical & Social implications: The research draws attention to the impact of complexification in open innovation strategies, and the need for new models of governance, communicative functions, and innovation drivers. Originality/value: The results support the emerging, but yet scarce, literature on open innovation in Brazil, and identify key challenges and emerging practices among Brazilian managers in large companies.