Open Innovation in Supply Chain Relationships: Analysis of a Creative Sector

Abstract

The article focuses on the development of innovative supply relationships that allow the use of openness innovations. At the same time, firms that want to implement these innovations must redesign their production processes. The research is basedon an in-depth study of 10 business cases of medium-sized firms belonging to a clothing sub-sector, that of knitwear. The findings have important managerial implications considering that the innovative supply chain processes, in which a leading role is assumed by firms operating in the so-called traditional manufacturing sectors, generate an increase in flexibility of the entire supply chain.

Keywords

• supply chain
• risk management;
• open innovation
• new process-product re-engineering