Open innovation, crowdsourcing, and knowledge from the crowd: an exploratory study of sustainable company growth

Crowdsourcing and open innovation can leverage collective knowledge from different sources in a dynamic process which is fundamental to the creation of new knowledge within the company. This study aims to analyse the dynamics process of knowledge acquisition from open innovation and crowdsourcing platforms and management of the new knowledge in social, environmental and economic activities of the company, to achieve sustainable growth. An exploratory research was carried out in a large Brazilian company that pursues crowd-sourced knowledge and combines this with the company existing expertise to the development of new ideas and strategies. The study finds that, even though the application of knowledge acquired through open innovation and crowdsourcing still represent a challenge, once requires a cross-functional flexibility and openness in companies, the new knowledge can ensure the sustainable company growth.