Attributes for open innovation with automotive suppliers in new product development: a case study of the electrical and electronic system

This paper addresses the phenomenon of open innovation (OI) with automotive suppliers in new product development (NPD). An attempt is made to create an in-depth understanding of how the OI-relevant attributes 'openness' and 'possibility to contribute' influence participants to profit from OI. The methodology is a multiple embedded case study of a European OI network developing the electrical and electronic (E/E) system for automotive vehicles. A semi-structured interview guideline was applied to collect qualitative data on this phenomenon from the perspective of focal firms and suppliers. The case study reveals that the attribute 'possibility to contribute' possesses a more significant influence on members in big OI networks and is an antecedent for the attribute 'openness'. Our findings also indicate that a holistic system understanding of the to-be-developed product and interrelations of components are significant to objectively assess the potential of innovations in NPD and equally involve all suppliers in OI.