Inovação aberta como estratégia de gestão da inovação – uma investigação sobre os seus desafios em universidades públicas paulistas

Abstract

The aim of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of open innovation in the context of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Brazilian scenario, as well as to comprehend the challenges that have arisen from open innovation practices in HEIs. The adopted research methodology consisted of an exploratory study, based on and adapted from Striukova and Rayna (2015), originally conducted in the United Kingdom. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers from four public HEIs in the capital of São Paulo, providing insights for two subsequent studies. Study 1 aimed to answer the question: “What is the contribution of HEIs to open innovation, and what challenges do they face?”. In Study 2, five guiding questions were formulated to analyze the content of the innovation policies of three public HEIs. Study 1 revealed normative limitations, a lack of open innovation dissemination, and a low level of innovation management maturity. Study 2 found that open innovation is defined as a strategy for innovation management and noted the absence of success indicators for open innovation. From an originality perspective, there was a contribution to understanding the open innovation landscape of Brazilian public HEIs, specifically within the context of São Paulo's capital. The research is limited to four public HEIs in the region of the capital of the State of São Paulo, with program managers of innovation in São Paulo HEIs as the target audience. In terms of practical applications, it aims to promote the university as a key and reliable actor in the open innovation ecosystem and present the challenges faced by these institutions. In terms of social implications, it contributes to the importance of universities in fostering knowledge and, consequently, improving products and services through research conducted at universities that have been assimilated or acquired by the industry. Furthermore, it aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, promoting scientific research in innovation and driving sustainable progress and enhancing research and innovation capacity from a global perspective.