Open Innovation of Startup Companies in Jordan

Abstract

This thesis investigates the Open Innovation (OI) process for startup companies on the Jordanian market. OI is a concept that originally falls directly in the gap between businesses and academics. It also determines what companies are looking for to bring inside the firm and allowing outside it. IO is also influential in tackling the challenges these firms encounter, such as their weak financial situation due to their relatively new establishment and due to under funding. A further obstacle is the ability of the startup companies to consolidate a relationship with partners, and how much those partners will be motivated to collaborate since they need that in the Open Innovation strategy.

This thesis highlights how Open Innovation can help startup companies, in Jordan, in creating value for their products and services. As that one of the biggest problem that faces many starting up companies in Jordan is the lack of knowledge on how to grow, given the proliferation of young firms struggling to grow in a very competitive business climate and how to make the best use of OI processes to keep going.

The main goal of this thesis is to contribute to understanding the reason behind the lack ability of startup companies to build relationship with partners in their open innovation ecosystem. Through studying the relational and cognitive capabilities of the firm, more specifically the social capital as key factor. Therefore understanding how trust and shared goals as parts of social capital plays a role in their relationships