Knowledge Management, Knowledge Creation, and Open Innovation in Icelandic SMEs

• Published in: SAGE Open
• Main Authors: Grimsdottir, Elsa, Edvardsson, Ingi Runar
• Other Authors: Viðskiptafræðideild (HÍ), Faculty of Business Administration (UI), Félagsvísindasvið (HÍ), School of Social Sciences (UI), Háskóli Íslands, University of Iceland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publications 2018
• Subjects: Knowledge; Knowledge creation; Open innovation; SMEs; Case studies; Iceland; Þekking; Þekkingarstjórnun; Nýsköpun í atvinnulífi; Tilviksrannsóknir
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/1227; https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018807320

Publisher's version (útgefin grein) The aim of this article is to present findings on knowledge management (KM) and knowledge creation, as well as open innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iceland. Two SME company case studies are presented in the form of a case study involving semistructured interviews with managers and selected employees and in-field observation. Company Alpha is a software company, whereas Company Beta is a family company which produces drinks and snacks. Knowledge creation and innovation is a learning process in both companies. The two companies show very different open-innovation models in practice. The findings regarding the two companies are in accordance with the arguments of Chiaroni et al., where they state that high-tech companies tend to prefer inside-out strategies of open innovation, whereas low-tech companies prefer outside-in strategies. Company Alpha relates to customers late in the process, whereas Company Beta relies on knowledge from customers and suppliers and for new knowledge early on in the process. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: One of the author received a doctoral scholarship from University of Iceland to conduct the research. Peer Reviewed