Open Innovation’s Challenge: Letting Go Is Hard To Do

“Open-source software provides an important example of how
companies can leverage external sources of innovation. In practice,
however, big high-tech companies often have a difficult time
collaborating and sharing control.

“While most people have heard of Linux, an open-source community
founded by individual programmers, increasingly companies are
sponsoring their own communities and supplying development
resources, infrastructure, and initial technology in the hope of
attracting individuals and other businesses to help them create
products and services for potential users. Sponsors also set rules
for developing and using cooperatively developed software, to align
the community to corporate objectives and avoid time-consuming
negotiations inherent in shared governance.

“But the tighter their control, the harder it is to attract
outside participation.”

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