Community based innovation: its antecedents and its impact on innovation success

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to combine Mäkipää et al., Füller et al., and Ahonen et al. with regard to CBI ideas, and applies them to the new product development process of the firm. The main research links user innovation and commercialization, and the discussion between the members creates centripetal and condensation strengthening factors. A complete model is developed for empirical testing.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample is 143 participants from five online communities of firms operating in Taiwan, namely Microsoft, Working House, Inventec Corporation, Hometec Technology Inc., and Asustek Computer Inc., that were contacted and asked to participate in the study. Data were collected from March 19 to May 31, 2008 via the web for internet users using a standardized questionnaire. Excluding those surveys that were undeliverable and those who believed that it was inappropriate to respond, the overall effective response rate was 87 percent (125 of 143).

Findings

This research proposes four other factors to promote the member participation CBI degree effectively, and further affects them to participate in the company's desire for three stages of new product development. But studies regarding the participation product concepts and design stage also find the members comparatively are not interested. Finally, a complete model is developed for empirical testing. It seems to be a promising source of innovation capabilities for new product development.

Research limitations/implications

The focus in this study is on how the integration of community members into new product development using the community based innovation method leads to encouraging results. Nevertheless, it is difficult to claim its general usability. So far, there is no study indicating the effectiveness and efficiency of CBI for ongoing, continued consumer integration. Then studies concerning the impact of CBI on innovation success are just beginning, and are restricted to the initial findings of a few case studies. Therefore, the actual market impacts of co‐developed products has not been tested on a large scale, as most of the CBI projects have not been carried to the point of testing the innovations in an actual marketplace.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the CBI method lies in the systematic utilization of the existing, but so far merely exploited, innovative potential of online communities. However, none of the previous studies have integrated these variables into a more comprehensive framework. A complete model is developed for empirical testing. And the discussion between the members creates centripetal and condensation strengthening factors. The main research links user innovation and commercialization.

Citation

Chu, K. and Chan, H. (2009), "Community based innovation: its antecedents and its impact on innovation success", Internet Research, Vol. 19 No. 5, pp. 496-516. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662240910998887