Radical innovation in a conservative industry. Selected cases of new product development in the Norwegian food industry

Abstract

Through the lens of open innovation, questions about product development and partnership have been asked in combination with how appropriability affect collaboration and innovation. This thesis is set up to fill gaps in prior research theory on collaboration for innovation within the food industry. The study focuses on how the food industry conducts innovation processes during radical new product development. The domestic cereal industry and European novel food are selected cases. While the domestic cereal industry can be looked upon as a prototypical case, the novel food industry is an extreme case. Case studies with mixed data were used to achieve a deeper understanding. Findings from the domestic cereal industry demonstrate how transparency and interaction with machinery suppliers may result in successful types of innovation. Further, it exposed how mutual trust, asset control and distribution control were positive for openness during innovation processes. Findings from the novel food case demonstrated how interaction with research suppliers were common. Further, it was found that pioneers have been vulnerable to knowledge spill over during transparent approval processes. In addition, relationship between patenting and external collaboration was found. Open governance makes mutual trust and secrecy during collaboration between actors’ important factors in radical product development processes. Collaboration with suppliers, business customers and research partners play important roles during innovation processes for these industries. For the novel food industry patents, trademarks, scientific reports and health claims are all being combined in appropriation regimes. In addition, these flag-planting strategies build value into products.