Investigating predictors for the successful implementation of open innovation: a case of small and medium enterprises in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa=Ukuphenya iziqaguli ekuqalisweni ukusebenza okunempumelelo kombonokuziqambela ovulekile: Okucwaningwayo amabhizinisi amancane namaphakathi KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika.

Abstract

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a major role in South Africa’s economic growth. These entities are faced with managerial issues that pose dangers to their survival. Open innovation (OI) emerged as a critical business strategy used predominately by large businesses to improve performance. It is defined as a distributed innovation process based on purposively managed knowledge flows across organisational boundaries, using pecuniary and nonpecuniary mechanisms compatible with the organisation’s business model. Studies shows that the OI concept is not widely used by SMEs in South Africa. Specifically, the study aimed at understanding whether internal knowledge, external knowledge, and strategic networks influence the successful implementation of OI in SMEs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A case study approach was used to study SMEs in Pietermaritzburg. Convergent parallel mixed methods approach was adopted where qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. Purposive and convenience sampling were utilised as non-probability approaches to select participants from a sample of 260 SMEs owners, managers/supervisors, and employees. The findings indicated that there is correlation between internal knowledge, external knowledge, and strategic networks in influencing the successful implementation of OI in SMEs. The findings also identified dominant factors that affect full adaptation of OI by SMEs. The factors include lack of leadership, adaptation capacity, patent and motivation issues, lack of finance, and lack of collaboration. Given the findings of this study, SMEs are encouraged to embrace OI principles where collaborative and strategic partnerships are formed with other businesses to complement internal innovation processes for sustainable growth. Further research should be done to identify strategic and sustainable partnership models for the application of OI in SMEs. Government and policy makers are encouraged to craft and enact policies that incentivise and encourage SMEs partnerships through OI initiatives. Given the inter-relationships between internal knowledge, external knowledge, and strategic networks in predicting successful application of OI in SMEs, the study encourages SMEs owners to adopt OI to deal with failure rate and improve their innovation processes. Embracing OI will assist SMEs deal with sustainability issues as innovative processes and new partnerships are forged to boost operations.

Iqoqa: Isendlalelo: Amabhizinisi amancane namaphakathi (ama-SME) abamba iqhaza elikhulu ekukhuleni komnotho eNingizimu Afrika. Lezi zingxenye zibhekene nezindaba zezimenenja ezibeka engozini ukusimama kwazo. IOpen Innovation (i-OI) iqubuka njengemiqondosu yebhizinisi elibucayi esetshenziswa ikakhulukazi emabhizinisini amakhulu ukuphucula insebenzo. Ucwaningo lukhombisa ukuthi umqondomsuka we-OI awusetshenziswa kakhulu ama-SME eNingizimu Afrika. Inhloso yocwaningo: Kunesidingo esinentshisekelo esicwaninga iziqaguli zokuqalisa ukusebenza okunempumelelo ze-OI kuma-SME KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Ikakhulukazi, ucwaningo luhlose ukuba kube nokuqonda ukuthi ulwazi lwangaphakathi, ulwazi lwangaphandle, nobuxhakaxhaka bemiqondosu enomthelela ekuqaliseni ukusebenza okuyimpumelelo kwe-OI kuma-SME KwaZulu-Natali, eNingizimu Afrika. Umumosakhiwo/Indlelakwenza ucwaningo/ Indlelasu: Indlelasu yocwaningonto yasetshenziswa ukubheka i-SME eMgungundlovu. Indlelasu yezindlelakwenza ucwaningo eziyindlelangxube eyinguqulakuqondanisa lapho kwasetshenziswa khona izindlela zekhwalithethivu nekhwantithethivu ukuqoqa imininingo. Kwathathwa amasampula ahlosiwe nasebenza ngendlela ngoba izindlelasu ezingaqaguleki zikhetha ababambiqhaza esampuleni elinabanikazi bama-SME abangama-260, izimenenja/izinduna, nabasebenzi. Imiphumela/Okutholakele: Okutholakele kukhombise ukuthi kunokuxhumana phakathi kolwazi lwangaphakathi, ulwazi lwangaphandle, nobuxhakaxhaka bemiqondosu enomthelela ekuqaliseni ukusebenza ngempumelelo ye-OI yama-SME. Okutholakele kuphinde kwakhombisa izinto eziqonelayo ezinomthelela wenguqulasimo egcwele ye-OI yama-SME. Izinto zifaka ukungabibikho kobuholi, umthamokukwazi ukufukamela, iphethenti nezindaba zokugqugquzela, ukuntuleka kwezimali, nokuncipha kwensebenziswano. Izincomo: Uma kubukwa okutholakele kulolu cwaningo, ama-SME agqugquzelwa ukuba afukamele imigomo ye-OI lapho ukubambisana kwensebenzelwanondawonye enomqondosu kwakhiwa namanye amabhizinisi ukunezezela izinhlelokusebenza nemizamokwakha yangaphakathi ukuba kube nokukhula okusimeme. Ucwaningo olwengeziwe kumele lwenziwe ukuhlonza amamodeli obambiswano olusimeme lokufaka izicelo ze-OI kuma-SME. Uhulumeni nabenzi bezinqubomgomo bagqugquzelwa ukwakha nokumisa izinqubomgomo ezifaka uxhaso nezigqugquzela ubambiswano lwama-SME ngemizamomibono ye-OI. Izinkomba zobumenenja: Uma kubhekwa ubudlelwano phakathi kolwazi lwangaphakathi, ulwazi lwangaphakathi, nobuxhakaxhaka obunemiqondosu ekuqaguleni ukufaka isicelo esiyimpumelelo se-OI kwi-SME, ucwaningo lugqugquzela abanikazi bama-SME ukuba kwemukelwe i-OI ukubhekana nesikalosilinganiso sokungaphumeleli nokuphucula izinhlelokusebenza kwemizamokusebenza. Ukufukamela i-OI kuzosiza ama-SME abhekane nezindaba zokusimama njengezinhlelokusebenza zemizamokwakhiwa nobumbanokubambisana olusha lwenziwelwa ukufukula imisebenzi. Amabinzana asemqoka: Ulwazi lwangaphandle; ulwazi lwangaphakathi; imizamokwenza evulelekile; ama-SME; ubuxhakaxhaka obunemiqondosu