Open innovation integration to product development process: an industrylevel analysis within brazilian automotive companies.

Abstract

The automotive industry is no stranger to the concept of the so-called Open Innovation (OI), even decades before this expression started to be recognized among the scientific community. The purpose of the present study is to analyze how OI activities occur in Product Development Process (PDP) and design of new products. The focus of research is within Brazilian automakers and auto parts companies. The project is based in a survey and structured such that three main constructs are analyzed: the main characteristics of the PDP and how OI practice impact it, actors (and their characteristics) involved in the practice of OI, and risks and barriers to the implementation of new OI projects. The survey is applied to engineers and managers working in departments involving product development, with varying expertise. It intends to verify what the implications of open innovation regarding product development are, who are the main actors involved in those activities and what barriers and risks most hinder organizations from implementing them further. It also asks the question of how mature those organizations are regarding open innovation concepts and tools in their innovation process.