R. Jokubauskienė “Organizational factors of open innovation customer knowledge integration” doctoral thesis defence

Author, Institution: Raminta Jokubauskienė, Kaunas University of Technology

Science area, field of science: Social Sciences, Management S 003

Scientific Supervisor: Prof. dr. Rimgailė Vaitkienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Management, S 003).

Dissertation Defence Board of Management Sciences Field:
Prof. dr. Jūratė Banytė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Management, S 003) – chairwoman;
Prof. dr. Liudmila Bagdonienė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Management, S 003);
Assoc. prof. dr. Milda Damkuvienė (Šiauliai University, Social Sciences, Management, S 003);
Assoc. prof. dr. Inga Minelgaitė (University of Iceland, Social Sciences, Management, S 003);
Prof. dr. Monika Petraitė (Kaunas University of Technology, Social Sciences, Management, S 003).

 The doctoral dissertation is available on the internet and at the library of Kaunas University of Technology (K. Donelaičio st. 20, Kaunas).

Annotation:
The dissertation analyses the problematic of integration of customer knowledge in open innovation. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, the dissertation identifies organizational factors for the integration of customer knowledge in open innovation affecting the change of innovation activity. The access to knowledge intensity is theoretically aproved by assessing organizational factors for integrating customer knowledge into open innovation. Applying the post-positivist paradigm approach a mixed-method research strategy was employed that adapts qualitative and quantitative research. Quantitative research, using multivariate logistic regression analysis, found that organizational factors and their groups identified in the theoretical part and investigated in the empirical part demonstrate a positive influence on the change of innovative activity. Quantitative research revealed a combination of organizational factors that positively influence the integration of customer knowledge in organizations that, according to the intensity of customer knowledge integration, belong to medium and expert organizations. The qualitative research data confirmed that the diversity of combinations of organizational factors that influence the integration of customer knowledge into open innovation is determined by the complexity of the process of open innovation development, change in innovation activities, internal and external integration and context. The combination of organizational factors influencing the integration of customer knowledge into open innovation expands and deepens the understanding of open innovation management and customer knowledge management.