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

• Main Authors: Elsa Grimsdottir, Ingi Runar Edvardsson
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244018807320

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. knowledge; knowledge creation; open innovation; SMEs; case studies; Iceland