1. Dahlander, L. and Gann, D. M. (2010) ‘How open is innovation?’, Research Policy, 39(6): 699-709.

1.Dahlander2010 – How open is Innovation

2.  Wacker, J. G. (1998). A definition of theory: Research guidelines for different theory-building research methods in operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 16(4), 361-385.

2.Wacker_1998-Definition of Theory

MIS40910 – Group ‘D’ questions/comments

Philip Burtenshaw, Conor Gleeson, Tarun Rattan, Thomas Joseph, Fiona Walsh

Q:1 – How Open is Innovation?

Does the open source technologies in software, a fair & accurate representation of open innovation? Or is it the other way around that open source technologies are forcing the companies to go for open innovation?

Either way the bigger question is “Does the current patent regime a hindrance to open innovation or open source technologies?” If a firm is using open innovation framework then does it have any right to claim a patent on the resultant output of that innovation be it be a product or services. The various open-source projects/communities act as innovation intermediaries and do have equal claim on any credits arising out of any open innovation methodology.

Q:2 – Definition Of Theory…. in Operations Management

According to Wikipedia, Operations management is an area of management concerned with overseeing, designing, and controlling the process of production and redesigning business operations in the production of goods or services. The commonly accepted categorization of operations decisions  are related to process, quality, inventory and capacity. Most of the operations management activities like product creation, development, production & distribution are with in control of an organisation, so any theory on operations management should have in focus the efficiency & effectiveness of the internal processes of an organisations. But the article lacks in offering any framework on the measurement and analysis of internal processes while building the theories on Operations Management.

Also the nature of operations within an organisation is driven by the organisational culture as well as nature of products & services the organisation deals in. For example retail, wholesale companies will need different operation management processes to deal with their own peculiarities but the article assumes a generic approach for theory building research methods in operations management.