Toward Integrating Trust in Open Innovation

Abstract

Abstract Since the beginning of the open innovation research, trust has been an important theme. However, even though trust is often mentioned as an integral part of the human side of open innovation, it is rarely discussed as a focal topic. This chapter connects the central concepts and advances in trust research with open innovation research; the chapter then discusses their linkages and potential for integrating trust more explicitly in open innovation research. It concludes by emphasizing the role of trust in the contemporary context of digital and global open innovation, in which fast and flexible forms of organizing are increasingly required.