Fast and furious: how the open vs closed dilemma affects the technology diffusion dynamic
ISSN: 0025-1747
Article publication date: 1 February 2018
Issue publication date: 27 March 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a comprehensive theoretical framework to explain the different diffusion dynamics of a technology realized under an open source (OS) regime vs a technology realized under a closed-proprietary (CP) regime.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a systematic combining approach, theoretical predictions derived from literature on diffusion of innovation and on open innovation were matched with empirical observations derived from a case study of two mobile operation systems, which were released under different technological regimes.
Findings
This paper proposes a theoretical framework and a set of original theoretical propositions that can help to explain the differences in the diffusion dynamics of technologies that are released under different regimes (i.e. CP vs OS).
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides managers a better understanding of the diffusion dynamics of technologies released according to an open innovation strategy. In addition, the empirical case study improves the understanding of an important industry (the MOS industry) that has not been fully investigated from the innovation diffusion perspective. Nevertheless, the efficacy and generalizability of the theoretical framework proposed in this paper require future empirical tests.
Originality/value
This paper makes an original contribution to the open innovation and innovation diffusion literature by linking, in a conceptual model, three antecedents of the diffusion of a new technology that previous literature has considered only separately: the regime under which the technology is released (OS vs CP), the contingencies related to the characteristics of the technology and to the network of its adopters, and the resulting barriers to adoption.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support of the National Interest Research Program (PRIN 2009) “Linee di intervento a supporto dei processi di diffusione delle innovazioni nei settori del Made in Italy.”
Citation
Parmentola, A., Simoni, M. and Tutore, I. (2018), "Fast and furious: how the open vs closed dilemma affects the technology diffusion dynamic", Management Decision, Vol. 56 No. 4, pp. 867-890. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-01-2017-0071
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited