Summary of Findings

Research Question & Topic Area Nr. Finding Statements

Research Question 1 What capabilities and processes enable stakeholders'

co-creation in the context of EOI?

Stakeholder Co-Creation Capabilities

Competence Mapping 1 Competence Mapping did not play a significant role.

Networking

Capability 2

Networking Capability was elevated by going public early via top-management and through creating a strong reputation for their sustainability commitment.

3 A higher purpose enhances the Networking Capability.

4

Selection of innovation partners was not only based on complementary resources but also on matching value-frames and professional identities, shared openness, and avoidance of direct competition

External Engagement

Capability 5

In order to work together with diverse partners, alignment on a common project vision, sustainability ambition, external communication principles and openness is key.

6 An element that fostered the engagement was the sharing of challenges and past experiences

7 Trust was perceived to be essential in EOI relationships to facilitate openness throughout the innovation process.

8

The creation of the pioneering community fostered the collaboration and meaning through enforcing the higher purpose of the project

Internal Engagement

Capability 9 EOI requires internal engagement of multiple departments and cross-functional alignment

10 Passionate project champions from sustainability and innovation defend project and engage others in the experience through internal activations

Value-Framing Capability

11

Divergent value-frames were overcome by changing ownership structures, discussing expectations openly, assigning top-level importance to alignment and collaboratively creating KPIs

12 The value-frame of the leading actor was more dominant when inter-organisational value-frames were fused

Apart from the inclusive overview of the generated findings in table 6, the following table 7 aims to summarise the microfoundations (processes, structures, elements) that were identified for each stakeholder co-creation capability.

Research Question & Topic Area Nr. Finding Statements Research

Question 1

Human Element

Relates to External Engagement Capability 15

Human element in EOI strengthens collaborations through visionary and passionate project champions who are driven by meaning

Relates to External Engagement Capability 16

Human element in EOI strengthens collaborations through interpersonal relationships and supports the alignment of diverse partners

Relates to Internal Engagement Capability 17

Human element plays a role in fostering engagement around environmental flagship project and other sustainability initiatives internally

Relates to Networking

Capab. 18 Human element plays a role in attracting partners through meaning

Relates to

Value-Framing Capability 19 Human element plays a role in starting the value-framing process

Research Question 2 What part does the corporate brand identity

play in EOI?

Brand-Innovation Relationship

Role of the Brand

Purpose 20

The brand purpose takes on different roles in EOI project: it inspires change, act as a filter and motivational driver, guides alignment, and attract innovation partners 21 Environmental innovation needs purpose, likewise the

purpose needs environmental innovation Brand Purpose

connection to co-creation stakeholder capabilities

22

The brand purpose enhances networking capability by creating a strong and credible sustainability reputation among business partners

23 The brand purpose influences the value-framing by guiding the ambition for the project

Relationship between Branding and Innovation Team

24 Branding team plays no role in building the innovation network

25

Branding team collaborates with sustainability and innovation teams to activate brand purpose and to strengthen the brand through environmental innovation 26

Branding team contributes with insights to guide the technological development and visual identity of the innovation.

27 Branding team is involved in the communication process by acting as communication platform.

Table 7: Overview of stakeholder co-creation capabilities and their microfoundations

Networking Capability Microfoundations (Processes, Structures, Elements)

• Articulating a higher purpose of the project attracts relevant and passionate project partners through meaning

• Going public with the innovation during the early stages of the project process at international networking events (e.g. conferences)

• Selecting partners not only based on complementary

resources/knowledge but also based on similar mindsets, visions (identities and value-frames), and openness

• Giving continuous public status updates and showcasing innovation prototypes to attract new partners along the development process

External Engagement Capability

Microfoundations (Processes, Structures, Elements)

• Aligning on a common project vision, sustainability ambition, degree of openness and external communication principles

• Establishing trust by investing in interpersonal relationships, informal meetings, giving full access to external facilities and legal assurances

• Open and constant dialogue about challenges within the project

• Sharing past experiences about the innovation project with new innovation partners

• Creating a “pioneering” community that defines the higher purpose and fosters collaboration between partners

• Conducting regular community sessions at different partner sights

• Forming a visionary board for the community with the project

champions from each partner who focus on the alignment and guidance of the community

Internal Engagement Capability

Microfoundations (Processes, Structures, Elements)

• Involving cross-functional units in early stages of the development (for instance: sustainability, supply-chain, branding, PR)

• Engage every employee around the innovation experience by hosting internal events about the radical innovation and by displaying prototypes in central office locations

• Appoint dedicated, passionate, and (long-term) project-champions who advocate and defend the project internally and engage other employees

• flagship project that activates the purpose motivates internal employees to engage in the environmental innovation and other environmental ideas

Value-Framing Capability Microfoundations (Processes, Structures, Elements)

• Organise the collaboration network around a higher purpose that is represented by the central organisation

• Create meetings in which value-frames (expectations) are openly discussed and reflected upon

• Attach top-management importance to value-frame alignment (e.g.

CEO attendance in alignment meetings)

• Starting the value-framing process by getting a deep understanding of not only the organisation’s identity (the corporate brand), but also the individual people and their professional identities (motivations, values and beliefs)

Systemised Learning Capability

Microfoundations (Processes, Structures, Elements)

• Sharing past experiences and failures in the innovation project with new innovation partners

• Continuously reflecting on partner selection based on previous experiences in the collaboration

In document Managing Open Innovation in the Presence of Grand Environmental Challenges: (Sider 99-103)