My PhD study findings showed that, in practice, the management of private and public sector organisations finds open service innovation approach complex and challenging. Furthermore, successful innovation is connected to geographical location. Therefore, this study’s intention is to contribute knowledge in three main areas by conceptualising open service innovation, providing knowledge from public sector open service innovation in comparison to the private sector, and delivering knowledge to practitioners concerning the management of open service innovation. To understand comprehensive features and enablers affecting open service innovation and to overcome challenges in practice, the following research question will be examined: “How do private and public organisations develop their management approaches to open service innovation in Finland and in the UK?”.
This is an important topic as we have seen in established research that the services sector is the dominant income in most advanced economies, for instance in Finland the services sector covers 70% of the GDP. My PhD findings (2021) showed that Finnish service organisations (public and private) seek to systematise their innovation processes with an open innovation approach where special attention is in services. They find it challenging and complex, thus they have need for research knowledge. Furthermore, they are interested to compare Finland to other countries successful in open service innovation and to learn from them. In regards, this study offers pathways for scientific research to serve practical business especially for Finnish private and public organisations and well as provide novel research knowledge.
This research’s contribution to innovation management theory will create a deeper understanding of the specific challenges and enablers of managing open innovation in service organisations (public and private) in Finland and in the UK. The contribution to open innovation research is how service organisations differ from more generic open innovation practices and how private organization open service innovation differ from public organisations. Furthermore, how Finland differs from the UK open service innovation development approaches. The contribution to business life will be a structured approach to help manage the process of open service innovation and to help Finnish business life to review their business in innovation activities.
This grant will allow me to continue my research at the University of Cambridge, Institute for Manufacturing by developing my PhD topic based on my study recommendations: to further explore open innovation in the service sector and public sector innovation. Overall, the foundation for economic education grand enables me to provide knowledge for practitioners and for academics from topics that lack research knowledge.