Part 3
OPEN INNOVATION WITH UNIVERSITIES

When they think of Open Innovation (OI), many managers may automatically jump to thinking about how to partner with independent individuals in the community, or with other firms. Indeed, the chapters in Parts 1 and 2 focus on how to work effectively with other firms and individuals. However, a number of universities also offer opportunities for OI initiatives. Partnering with universities for innovation has a number of distinct advantages:

• Access to cutting-edge (basic) research, when research in firms tends to be more applied
• Numerous different kinds of laboratory facilities all located in one campus area
• Individuals who may bring a very different mindset, youthful energy and innocent naiveté, about what can be achieved by an initiative

As with all contexts, working with a university also will limit what may be achieved in an Open Innovation initiative. In particular, the scope of the projects undertaken in university settings may have to be a bit narrower than those that may be undertaken with firm partners, because of the nature of the school year.

PART 3 CONTAINS TWO CHAPTERS

• In Chapter 7, Jelena Spanjol, Michael J. Scott, Stephen Melamed, Albert L. Page, Donald Bergh, and Peter Pfanner describe how the University of Illinois at Chicago partners with primarily large companies through their Interdisciplinary Product Development program. Each year, multiple teams simultaneously develop concepts, prototypes, industrial design/engineering documentation and marketing plans that meet the objectives of that year's partnering firm. Chapter 7 includes the curriculum for the year-long course, numerous document templates, and concrete examples of success.
• Aruna Shekar, in Chapter 8, describes the Collaborative Product Development program at Massey University in New Zealand. This model works especially well for smaller firms seeking university innovation partners. The program is a bit more science/engineering solution–oriented than the Illinois program, sometimes resulting in new technical inventions. In addition to the intellectual property generated, participating in the program sometimes results in a hiring opportunity for the firm.

  Both chapters indicate pitfalls to avoid as well as keys to successful partnering.