Abstract:
This thesis provides insight into the interactions between user inputs and organisational mechanisms. These interactions enable firms to create product innovations through user involvement. While the user innovation literature extends our understanding of user involvement, its user-centric discussions focus on determinants, methods, and outcomes of user involvement. Only a small number of studies examine the intricacies within the firm that facilitate the access and transfer of user inputs to generate product innovations. To enhance our understanding of these intricacies, I examine how characteristics of user inputs affect a firm’s use of organisational mechanisms for product innovation. The user innovation literature left largely unexplored the notion that firms require specific organisational mechanisms to access and transfer user inputs. Furthermore, no clear user-input categorisation exists. Navigating around these limitations, the research question is studied through a theoretical framework grounded in the knowledge-based view (KBV) and innovation management perspectives. A systematic review of the user innovation literature was conducted to develop a typology of user inputs. The empirical process is carried out through a qualitative multiple case study research design. Three firms operating in New Zealand and Australia’s farm management and steel castings industries contributed a total of five cases. Findings indicate that firms access and transfer four types of user inputs: Add-ons, Critiques, Homemade, and White Spaces. The ability of users to contribute these types of inputs largely depends on their possession of relevant technical knowledge. Firms use four main organisational mechanisms: decision-making, intra-firm communication, reward-related mechanisms, and knowledge governance to facilitate access and transfer of user inputs. The user input characteristics of complexity and uncertainty increase the need for firms to adapt their organisational mechanisms accordingly. This allows them to apply these inputs to create product innovations. This thesis contributes to the user innovation literature by providing a firm’s perspective on user involvement. The user-input typology categorises knowledge inputs that firms obtain from users when involving users in innovation activities. The organisational mechanisms that support access and transfer of inputs shed light on processes within the firm that supports open and user innovation activities. In addition, interactions between these inputs and associated organisational mechanisms explain the underlying reasons why and how applying user innovation methods lead to product innovation for firms.