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The anatomy of open innovation failure: managerial-level evidence from romanian SMEs

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  • Duc Anh Nguyen

    (UEVE - Université d'Évry-Val-d'Essonne, LITEM - Laboratoire en Innovation, Technologies, Economie et Management (EA 7363) - UEVE - Université d'Évry-Val-d'Essonne - Université Paris-Saclay - IMT-BS - Institut Mines-Télécom Business School - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris])

  • Elena Avram

    (TUIAŞI - Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași = Universitatea Tehnică Gheorghe Asachi din Iași)

  • Simona Grama-Vigouroux

    (MAGELLAN - Laboratoire de Recherche Magellan - UJML - Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 - Université de Lyon - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Lyon)

  • Nidhi Priya

    (XLRI - Xavier School of Management)

Abstract

While open innovation (OI) can boost innovation performance, many SMEs struggle to implement it due to limited resources and structural constraints. Despite its importance, OI failure remains underexplored, particularly at the managerial level. This study, grounded in Upper Echelons Theory (UET), investigates how SME managers' personal factors contribute to OI failure, understood as the unsuccessful adoption and execution of OI practices. Based on an ongoing inductive qualitative study involving ten semi-structured interviews with Romanian SME leaders and secondary national data, our findings highlight three key dimensions: (1) antecedents linked to managerial traits, such as limited strategic planning, lack of commitment, and weak external collaboration capacity; (2) the failed execution of inbound and outbound OI practices; and (3) consequences including reduced innovation and competitiveness. This research advances OI and UET literature by highlighting the human side of OI failure and providing a framework to help SMEs address it.

Suggested Citation

  • Duc Anh Nguyen & Elena Avram & Simona Grama-Vigouroux & Nidhi Priya, 2025. "The anatomy of open innovation failure: managerial-level evidence from romanian SMEs," Post-Print hal-05356795, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05356795
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