Open innovation and network dynamics. An analysis of openness of co-patenting collaborations in Italy

Objectives. The aim of this work is to investigate the relational dynamics for innovation and in particular the impact of the innovation process openness on the innovation capacity of organizations. Methodology. Through a multivariate linear regression, the work analyses the impact of the characteristics of openness of the organization’s innovation process in the period 2004-2010 and how the breadth and depth of the openness influence the patents productivity in the following period (2011-2016). Findings. The breadth of the open innovation process, measured by the number of external network ties that an organization realizes for the realization of patents, has a positive effect on patents productivity. The depth of the openness, that is the intensity of external network ties, has equally a positive influence on the innovative performance. But for both of them after a tipping point, the patent productivity tends to decrease underlining the costs and problems of open innovation practices. Research limits. The study considers just patents collaborations in the city of Florence, therefore, it focuses just on codified innovations and on a single territorial case study. Practical implications. The results underline the importance of the adoption of open innovation practices, but with several cautions. Just collaborate more with others does not foster the organizations’ innovation productivity, but different shreds of evidence are reached. Originality of the study. An original database has been elaborated containing all the information on patents realized in the metropolitan area of Florence from 2004 till 2016 and the Social Networks Analysis has been applied in order to identify the local innovation networks.