Open Innovation Corporate Incubator

The corporate start-up incubator is currently developing in large companies as an essential approach to open innovation. It faces a global system involving varied contexts, issues and actors. Its implementation is an art and to succeed the corporate incubator must become a real "interaction architect".

Using testimonials and real case studies, the author takes a dive into the structural and social mysteries of corporate incubators. By analyzing the complex mechanisms of interactions, this book decrypts and reveals the keys to the success of these devices and to opening innovation in a broad sense.

The concept of an “interaction architect” is related to the art of building fruitful interactions within human systems. Being aware that social systems exist is good, but knowing how to manage them is better.

Pascal Latouche holds a PhD in management sciences from the University of Paris-Saclay in France. His research interests include the practical applications of open innovation in industry.

Acknowledgments ix

Preface xi

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1 Innovation: a Story Without an End 1

1.1 The concept of managerial innovation (MI) 2

1.1.1 Evolution up until the 1990s 3

1.1.2 The 2000s: democratization of the concept 4

1.1.3 The characteristics of MI 5

1.2 MI in the company 6

1.2.1 The Oslo Manual 6

1.2.2 The results of the CIS 2010 survey 7

1.2.3 Various illustrations 9

1.3 Open innovation (OI) 11

1.3.1 Research directions on OI 11

1.3.2 New research perspectives on OI 12

1.3.3 Characteristics of OI 13

1.3.4 OI in the firm 14

1.4 Conclusion 15

Chapter 2 Incubators and Other Accelerators: the Joys of Diversity? 17

2.1 Definition(s) and form(s) of incubators 17

2.1.1 Definition(s) of incubation 18

2.1.2 The different forms of incubation 20

2.1.3 The diversity of forms of incubation in France 22

2.1.4 The “accelerator/incubator” subtlety 24

2.2 Large groups/start-ups: motivation under pressure! 26

2.2.1 An omnipresent political world 26

2.2.2 The context of large groups 28

2.2.3 The context of start-ups 29

2.3 The entrepreneurial policy of large groups 31

2.3.1 Distrust is necessary 32

2.3.2 A marriage of challenges 34

2.3.3 Good heart against bad fortune, or the marriage of convenience! 35

2.4 No research on corporate incubation 37

2.4.1 No direct research on CI 38

2.4.2 The emergence of a perspective 38

2.5 Conclusion 40

Chapter 3 The Architects of Interactions: the Four Strategic Access Points 41

3.1 The problematization of the CI 42

3.2 The work of “managerial curation” 44

3.3 The work of “motivation” 47

3.4 The work of “building identity networks” 49

3.5 The work of “changing normative associations” 51

3.6 Grid of strategic access points, in summary 53

Chapter 4 Topography: the Characteristics of a Structure 57

4.1 The characteristics of a structure 58

4.2 Relative advantages 61

4.3 Complexity 64

4.3.1 Irrational complexities64

4.3.2 Rational complexities 66

4.3.3 The assessment68

4.4 Ambiguity 68

4.5 Conclusion 70

Chapter 5 Adaptation in situ: Levers for Manipulation 73

5.1 The role of adaptation 73

5.2 Hard facts and soft facts 74

5.2.1 Hard facts of the CI 75

5.2.2 Soft facts of the CI 76

5.3 “FCE-influencers” 78

5.4 “FCE-products” 80

5.5 Conclusion 81

Chapter 6 When Practice Becomes the Model to Follow: the Adoption of CI 83

6.1 The company microcosm: a determining role in the stage of problematization 84

6.2 Institutional work: a group of systems and practices 86

6.3 Translation, a driver for institutional work 87

6.4 Adaptation or translation in situ 89

6.5 Conceptual links 89

6.6 The institutional adoption pyramid 92

Chapter 7 CI Example A: the “Boss’s Thing” 95

7.1 Corporate context of CI A 95

7.2 CI A players 96

7.3 The structure of CI A 100

7.4 Tasks and missions of CI A 102

7.5 The tools of CI A 104

7.6 Overview of CI A 105

Chapter 8 CI Example B: Money doesn’t make you happy 109

8.1 The corporate context of CI B 109

8.2 CI B players 111

8.3 The structure of CI B 114

8.4 Tasks and missions of CI B 117

8.5 The tools of CI B 119

8.6 Summary of CI B 120

Chapter 9 CI Example C: Reducing the Wide Gap 123

9.1 The corporate context of CI C123

9.2 CI C players125

9.3 The structure of CI C 128

9.4 Tasks and missions of CI C 130

9.5 The tools of CI C 133

9.6 Summary of CI C 133

Chapter 10 CI Example D: “Two-pillar” Centralism 137

10.1 The corporate context of CI D 137

10.2 CI D players 139

10.3 The structure of CI D 141

10.4 Tasks and missions of CI D 143

10.5 The tools of CI D 144

10.6 Summary of CI D145

Chapter 11 CI Example E: the Art of Pivot 147

11.1 The corporate context of CI E 147

11.2 CI E players 149

11.3 The structure of CI E 152

11.4 Tasks and missions of CI E 155

11.5 The tools of CI E 157

11.6 Summary of CI E 157

Conclusion 161

References173

Index 203

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