Open Innovation as a Tool of Strategic Management

The open innovation phenomenon has developed from a small club of innovation practitioners, mostly active in high-tech industries, to a widely discussed and implemented innovation practice. Simultaneously, a small community of management researchers has recently developed into an established research field. Once a field grows rapidly there is a danger that it may become a short-term fashion. This special issue reports on recent research evidence to further develop the open innovation research field. South Moravian in Czech Republic region started to support companies and help them with organization of open innovation session. The tool perspective: Opening up the innovation process requires a set of instruments. Those tools, for example, enable customers to create or configure their own product with tools kits or enable companies to integrate external problem solvers or idea creators. Currently a broad awareness of open innovation and its relevance to corporate R&D. Aim of paper is research and measure the results after ten years since Open innovation has been supported by region government in South Moravian region in Czech republic and was implemented in innovation strategy of this region. Regional strategy is partnership of South Moravian companies, local scientists, public authorities and other parties connected to development in the region. Open innovation has become important part of strategic management and has become a well-established, though still somewhat fragmented, academic discipline.