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Generally, there is a common sense to consider knowledge sharing and creation as two separate processes but a new matter emerges when those processes are intertwining. In this vein, this research aims to discuss on the lens of the open innovation (OI) model how such intertwining generates digital platform-based ecosystem.

The theoretical approach is used to largely discuss the intertwining of knowledge sharing and creation in the current digital era. It debates such scenario considering past and present studies and suggests future research streamlines.

It offers a new theoretical model that can be implemented in a micro, meso and macro level where the concept of “ba” (or ba-sho) assumes the form of a digital platform where knowledge sharing is in motion and dynamically interacts with the knowledge creation.

By discussing the intertwining of knowledge creation and sharing in OI context along with digital trends (e.g. platform innovation ecosystems and platform innovation management), the study offers a new conceptual framework that relies on such intertwining accompanied by the concept of “ba – sho.” In this vein, research limits and new research are suggested to demonstrate and support this conceptual study.

The purpose of this paper is to understand how Open Innovation Digital Platforms (OIDPs) can facilitate and support knowledge co-creation in Open Innovation (OI) processes. Specifically, it intends to investigate the contribution of OIDPs-oriented to successfully implement all the phases of interactive coupled OI processes.

The paper carries out an exploratory qualitative analysis, adopting the single case study method. The case here investigated is Open Innovation Platform Regione Lombardia (OIPRL).

The case study sheds light on how OIPRL supports knowledge co-creation through its processes, tools and services as a co-creator intermediary. In its launch stage, the platform simply aimed at giving firms a tool to “find partners” and financial resources to achieve innovative projects. Now, however, the platform has developed into an engagement platform for knowledge co-creation.

One limitation lies in the particular perspective used to perform the case study: the perspective of the digital platform itself. Future research should focus on the individuals engaged in the platform to better investigate the processes, tools and services used to implement the OI approach.

The paper suggests ways in which OIDPs could be used by firms for effective exploration, acquisition, integration and development of valuable knowledge.

The study conceptualizes the role of OIDPs in shaping knowledge co-creation, assuming that the platforms act as Open Innovation Intermediaries (OIIs). Specifically, OIDPs can be observed to function as “co-creator intermediaries” that define, develop and implement dedicated processes, specific tools and appropriate services for supporting knowledge co-creation activities.

The present study aims to address the emergence of platform-organized open innovation (OI). The research has the two main aims: the first is to increase the understanding of the performance of OI by investigating how the achievements of OI are measured in situated practices from a performative and strategic knowledge management (SKM) orientation. The methodological disadvantages of not pre-given case selection are partially counterbalanced by the second aim of the research, which is to extend existing SKM theory and examine how platforms create knowledge as they include actors and digital devices, thereby potentially redistributing relations of accountability.

Building on performativity theory, the paper studies how the achievements and knowledge created in OI are managed and evaluated in practice. The case description draws on different sources from a spiral case study, as openness is performed by platform, firm, crowd and innovation intermediaries.

The paper illustrates how a strategy of digitally enabled openness brings its own issues as platforms enable knowledge sharing and perform a redistribution of accountability. In the heterarchies studied through this research endeavor, managers and their team members were accountable not only to multiple units, or teams, across the organization, but also to the crowd. The case material demonstrates that the ecology of devices and their performative struggles create lateral accountability.

While recent streams of research suggest that the context of OI (i.e. distributed sources of knowledge for innovation) shifts the unit of analysis of organization design from the individual firm to networks of actors organized on platforms, the authors find that the focal firm still remains a key conceptual parameter in SKM research, which, in turn, makes it difficult to capture the suggested radicality of OI.

The authors show, that in practice, the firm has to take into account the performance of the external crowd and at times put resources into its training and education. In heterarchy, distributed authority is assumed to be facilitated through lateral accountability, whereby the traditional principles of vertical authority no longer hold, but rather, managers and their team members can be accountable to multiple units, or teams, across the organization.

The paper develops a performative theory of openness. OI is a model, strategy and socio-material practice whereby digital designs create an ecology of devices that can enact all kinds of openness. Ultimately, the current paper proposes that SKM and OI theory need to consider how platforms perform relations of accountability beyond the boundaries of the single organization.

Driven by the dual-carbon target and the widespread digital transformation, leveraging digital technology (DT) to facilitate sustainable, green and high-quality development in heavy-polluting industries has emerged as a pivotal and timely research focus. However, existing studies diverge in their perspectives on whether DT’s impact on green innovation is synergistic or leads to a crowding-out effect. In pursuit of optimizing the synergy between DT and green innovation, this paper aims to investigate the mechanisms that can be harnessed to render DT a more constructive force in advancing green innovation.

Drawing from the theoretical framework of resource orchestration, the authors offer a comprehensive elucidation of how DT intricately influences the green innovation efficiency of enterprises. Given the intricate interplay within the synergistic relationship between DT and green innovation, the authors use the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method to explore diverse configurations of antecedent conditions leading to optimal solutions. This approach transcends conventional linear thinking to provide a more nuanced understanding of the complex dynamics involved.

The findings reveal that antecedent configurations fostering high green innovation efficiency actually differ across various stages. First, there are three distinct configuration patterns that can enhance the green technology research and development (R&D) efficiency of enterprises, namely, digitally driven resource integration (RI), digitally driven resource synergy (RSy) and high resource orchestration capability. Then, the authors also identify three configuration patterns that can bolster the high green achievement transfer efficiency of enterprises, including a digitally optimized resource portfolio, digitally driven RSy and efficient RI. The findings not only contribute to advancing the resource orchestration theory in the digital ecosystem but also provide empirical evidence and practical insights to support the sustainable development of green innovation.

The findings can offer valuable insights for enterprise managers, providing decision-making guidance on effectively harnessing the innovation-driven value of internal and external resources through resource restructuring, bundling and leveraging, whether with or without the support of DT.

The research findings contribute to heavy-polluting enterprises addressing the paradoxical tensions between digital transformation and resource constraints under environmental regulatory pressures. It aims to facilitate the simultaneous achievement of environmental and commercial success by enhancing their green innovation capabilities, ultimately leading to sustainability across profit and the environment.

Compared with previous literature, this research introduces a distinctive theoretical perspective, the resource orchestration view, to shed light on the paradoxical relationship on resource-occupancy between DT application and green innovation. It unveils the “black box” of how digitalization impacts green innovation efficiency from a more dynamic resource-based perspective. While most studies regard green innovation activities as a whole, this study delves into the impact of digitalization on green innovation within the distinct realms of green technology R&D and green achievement transfer, taking into account a two-stage value chain perspective. Finally, in contrast to previous literature that predominantly analyzes influence mechanisms through linear impact, the authors use configuration analysis to intricately unravel the complex influences arising from various combinatorial relationships of digitalization and resource orchestration behaviors on green innovation efficiency.

Building on the theory of resource-based view (RBV), this paper is determined to explore the key drivers that drive platform ecosystem adoption by small businesses and mediation mechanisms that facilitate the translation of these drivers into improved firm financial and nonfinancial performance.

In this study, structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data. A survey questionnaire was taken from 430 small businesses operating their businesses on various digital platform ecosystems in China to investigate the links between parameters by testing hypotheses. Digital startups operating their businesses on popular Chinese platform ecosystems, including Alibaba, Taobao, Jingdong, Maituan and HelloChe, were chosen.

The finding deciphers a nuanced interplay of the adoption drivers, with innovation capability emerging as a mediation mechanism translating these drivers into improved financial and non-financial performance.

The acknowledgment of potential drawbacks, such as the focus on specific drivers of platform ecosystem adoption, highlights the need for future research to explore additional factors that may influence adoption decisions. By examining institutional factors, market conditions or external shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding platform ecosystem dynamics and offer insights into adaptive strategies for businesses facing uncertainty.

The outcome benefits policymakers and ecosystem designers by creating and overseeing platform ecosystems that support the highlighted drivers. This study further serves as a roadmap for both platform owners and prospective small enterprises as they map their path toward the digital frontier.

The findings from the research indicate that small enterprises that embrace platform ecosystems can experience improved financial and non-financial performance, which in turn promotes economic development and the generation of jobs. By utilizing innovative strategies and maximizing their strategic advantages, these enterprises can not only prosper but also make significant contributions to community development and help alleviate joblessness. This highlights the significance of assisting with the incorporation of digital technology in small businesses to achieve wider societal advantages.

Research originality lies in bridging the gap between strategic inputs and measurable outcomes, stressing the vital function of a firm’s innovation in turning ecosystem-driven opportunities into enhanced performance. This means the pivotal role of this study lies in exploring platform ecosystem adoption drivers based on the theory of RBV and the way innovation capability of platform ecosystems facilitates the translation of these drivers into improved financial and nonfinancial performance.

The review aims to facilitate a broader understanding of platform opening and cooperation and points out potential research directions for scholars.

This study searches Web of Science (WOS) database for relevant literature published between 2010 and 2021 and selects 86 papers for this review. The selected literature is categorized according to three dimensions: the strategic choice of platform opening and cooperation (before opening), the construction of an open platform (during opening) and the impact of platform opening and cooperation (after opening). Through comparative analysis, the authors identify research gaps and propose four future research agendas.

The study finds that the current studies are fragmented, and a research system with a theoretical foundation has not yet formed. In addition, with the development of platform operations, new topics such as platform ecosystems and open platform governance have emerged. In short, there is an urgent need for scholars to conduct exploratory research. To this end, the study proposes four future research agendas: strengthen basic research on platform opening and cooperation, deeply explore the dynamic evolution and cutting-edge models of platform opening and cooperation, analyze potential crises and impacts of platform openness and strengthen research on open platform governance.

This is the first systematic review on platform opening and cooperation. Through categorizing literature into three dimensions, this article clearly shows the research status and provides future research avenues.

Entrepreneurship across sectors has been impacted by the paradigm of open innovation in the last few decades. Although Open Innovation is argued to impact firm performance the strategic building blocks of open innovation are not discussed in the prior literature. This study aims to conceptualize open innovation and identify the antecedents and outcomes of open innovation.

Using a qualitative study based on open-ended essays solicited from 47 SMEs and startups based out in Europe and the USA, the authors propose an overarching conceptual framework using a theoretical sampling approach adopted to establish data saturation and data analysis was carried out using thematic coding. Market place evidence was used for triangulation of the authors’ research framework and to establish the validity of the constructs.

Building on the entrepreneurial bricolage theory, this study proposes bricolage and Platformization of innovations as antecedents to open innovation. The study also conceptualizes open innovation by identifying three underlying dimensions for open innovation. Next, the study proposes a positive association between open innovation and firm performance. Finally, the authors discuss relevant implications with future research directions of the study.

The practical implication is the development of a sustained competitive advantage enhancing framework for entrepreneurial ventures with the help of open innovation.

With the application of the developed framework for the entrepreneurial ventures, a set of strategic activities related to open innovation can be proposed that would help these ventures to enhance their innovation and marketing capabilities, thereby helping them with a sustained competitive advantage. The present study would also help the policymakers to frame policies that help the firms with a shift toward open innovation.

While the theory and practice of open innovation networks are flourishing, green innovation in manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is stagnant. This study explores the mechanism driving green innovation in manufacturing SMEs under open innovation networks based on the role of innovation platforms' relational governance.

A quantitative study was conducted using questionnaires to collect data from 270 manufacturing SMEs in Zhejiang Province and employing a structural equation model to test the developed hypotheses.

The results revealed that innovation platforms' relational governance positively affects green innovation in manufacturing SMEs. Furthermore, the collaborative innovation atmosphere and risk perception mediate this relationship through a respective mediating role and a chain-mediating role.

This study is the first to empirically investigate the mechanism of the influence of innovation platforms' relational governance on green innovation in manufacturing SMEs, provide a new perspective for understanding the antecedents of green innovation under open innovation networks, and expand the theoretical research on open innovation management.

The purpose of this paper is to understand how firms may be segmented with respect to their attitudes towards the use of mobile instant messaging (MIM) apps (e.g. WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, etc). in their marketing practices to identify the main approaches to the use of MIM in business. Moreover, this paper identifies the key factors which can motivate or hinder the adoption of these digital platforms.

Firms are segmented on the basis of their attitudes (perceived usefulness and perceived effectiveness of performance) towards the use of MIM apps in the business. Categories for size, age of the firm and the organization’s predisposition towards MIMs are explored using data from 311 firms and latent class analysis. Threats, triggers and their real usage are also identified to describe the different approaches towards the application of MIM apps in marketing practices.

Four clusters are identified – lukewarm, cold, believer and unaffected – along with significant covariates such as the importance of conversation with the client, the use of MIMs in the business, the threats and triggers that can foresee adherence. The results help to understand how to approach the client using social messenger applications. MIM apps can be used for strategic marketing and not only for operative marketing.

This paper offers a more nuanced understanding of how firms engage through MIM apps by focusing on the firms’ attitudes towards MIM apps. It extends the knowledge on the firms’ reactions to these disruptive technologies and profiles the firms according to their social innovation attitudes, something that has not yet been investigated in the extant marketing literature.

In this digital age, the rapid technological innovation and adoption, with the increasing use of big data analytics, has raised concerns about the ability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to sustain the competition and innovation performance (IP). To narrow the research gap, this paper investigates the role of big data analytics capability (BDAC) in moderating the relationship between digital innovation (DI) and SME innovation performance.

This research has been carried forward through a detailed theory and literature analysis. Data were analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation models using a two-stage approach in smartPLS-4.

Results highlight that digital service capability (DSC) significantly mediates the relationship between DI and IP. Additionally, value co-creation (VCC) directly affects digital transformation (DT), while DI has a stronger effect on DSC than IP. Furthermore, BDAC significantly moderates the relation between DSC → IP and DT → IP, whereas it has a detrimental effect on the relation between DI and IP. In addition to that, VCC, DSC, DT, DI and BDAC have a direct, significant and positive effect on IP.

This research was motivated by the practical relevance of supporting SMEs in adopting DT and the resource-based view (RBV) and technology acceptance model (TAM). This study shows that all direct and indirect measures significantly affect innovation performance, including BDAC as moderator. These findings refresh the perspective on what DT, DI, VCC, DSC and BDAC can bring to a firm's innovation performance.

This paper has contributed to DT by empirically validating a theoretical argument that suggests the acceptance and adoption of new technology. This paper aims to fill theoretical gaps in understanding BDAC and DT by incorporating the RBV and TAM theories on BDAC and DT.