-- Stage of OI program development: Most respondents (49%) felt that
their companies were in the early stages of open innovation. Forty percent
of the companies were considered to be in the optimizing stage.
-- Types of open innovation initiatives practiced by companies in early
and optimizing stages: Companies in the early stages of OI adoption focused
on only a few core activities, while those in the optimizing are more
likely to embrace a broad approach to open innovation.
-- Driving force behind OI participation: The driving force behind open
innovation among early stage companies is R&D middle management (41.5%) and
leadership (34.1%) teams, while less than a quarter of the OI mandates are
begun by company leadership.
-- Results of adopting open innovation: The majority of respondents (77%)
felt that the most significant benefit of open innovation for their
companies was an increase in the richness of their technology portfolio.
-- Metrics used to measure open innovation: More than 50% of those
surveyed reported that they do not use metrics at all.
Heim added, "While historically open innovation has been a key strategy for
R&D departments in large companies, we firmly believe that open innovation
will become embedded in all development areas as a natural component of the
innovation process for companies of all sizes. This report provides an
accurate snapshot of the expanding role of open innovation, and we look
forward to continuing the survey in an effort to gain additional insights
into the anticipated evolution of the industry."
The research
was conducted independently by NineSigma. Of the more than 100 respondents,
nearly one quarter of them represent the consumer products industry, 18
percent work in the food and beverage industry and 13 percent are in the
chemical industry. Other industries represented in the respondents included
biotech, medical and pharmaceutical, automotive, industrial products,
materials and energy. The majority of the companies (77%) represented in
the survey earned in excess of $1 billion in revenues; 36 percent of the
companies have revenues in excess of $10 billion. Eighty-two percent of the
survey respondents represented the research and development function of
their business.
About NineSigma
NineSigma helps Global 1000 companies develop and maximize value from their
open innovation programs. Companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Kraft,
L'Oreal, Philips, Unilever and Xerox engage NineSigma to build new
knowledge and capabilities that accelerate the innovation cycle and
increase productivity. A leader in expert-sourcing, NineSigma has the
largest open global network of solution
providers and an extensive database of existing solutions that spans
all industries and technical disciplines. In 2008, NineSigma ranked among
the top 20 percent of companies on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing
private companies in the United States. The company also has operations in
Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.ninesigma.com.
Contact Information: Media Contact: Dan Dyer 513-478-7818