Business Models for Open Innovation: Matching Heterogeneous Open Innovation Strategies with Business Model Dimensions

Research on open innovation suggests that companies benefit differentially from
adopting open innovation strategies; however, it is unclear why this is so. One
possible explanation is that companies’ business models are not attuned to open
strategies. Accordingly, we propose a contingency model of open business models
by systematically linking open innovation strategies to core business model
dimensions, notably the content, structure, governance of transactions. We further
illustrate a continuum of open innovativeness, differentiating between four types
of open business models. We contribute to the open innovation literature by
specifying the conditions under which business models are conducive to the
success of open innovation strategies.