The evolving nature of open innovation governance: A study of a digital platform development in collaboration with a big science centre

There is growing recognition that the governance of open innovation is interdependent with the outcome being developed. In this paper, we address the dynamic nature of open innovation governance through an in-depth, longitudinal case study of a commercial software firm and a big science centre co-developing a digital platform. We identified five processes through which the open innovation governance and its outcome – i.e., the platform – influenced each other. Specifically, we found that the governance of the collaboration played a major role in resolving tensions between the two partners, which had a profound impact on the design of the digital platform. In turn, the decisions surrounding the platform started to change the open innovation governance. Based on these insights, we develop implications for governing open innovation in the context of collaborating with a big science centre.