How do Tasks and Technology Fit? - Bringing order to the Open Innovation Chaos

Open innovation (OI) projects comprise various steps from the generation of ideas and their development to the market launch of a product (or service). Each step of the innovation process consists of tasks whose execution results in particular outputs. Following the paradigm shift towards OI, organizations increasingly allow external stakeholders to contribute during these steps by taking over certain tasks. Although the general benefit of OI is considered to be positively influential on innovativeness and competitiveness of a new product, the individual output of each task and, thus, the OI project varies tremendously. Research illustrates a broad range from projects with a focus on just initial idea generation to ones that result in complex strategies and marketable solutions. The question remains, which tasks or sub-tasks are involved in OI projects that lead to one particular output? To answer this question, the present study analyzes existing research on open innovation projects and summarizes the tasks that are performed. In addition to this process-oriented perspective, the technical side, i.e. the support of innovation tasks by ICT, lacks research. Recent developments, especially regarding social software, present new approaches to support these tasks. Hence, this paper uses its initial findings to develop profiles of fit between tasks and technology. By adapting the Task-Technology-Fit theory by Goodhue and Thompson (1995) this research helps organizations to select the most suitable application for a specific task.