Innovación abierta y desarrollo de ecosistemas en la pyme ecuatorianaestrategia, control, networking y orientación medioambiental

Abstract

The general objective of this doctoral thesis is to analyze the current state of Open Innovation (OI) in Ecuador, considering the role played by the main agents of the ecosystem, and identifying key variables for its implementation such as the formalization of the innovation strategy of the SME, as well as its effects on the performance of Ecuadorian SMEs, considering control as a moderating variable. In addition, the role played by environmental orientation and the influence of institutional networks and commercial networks on innovation in Ecuadorian SMEs are studied. The motivation and scientific interest lie in the need to explore and describe the innovation model in the context of a developing country, whose barriers and risks for its implementation are considerable. In the first instance, this thesis defines the theoretical foundations that constitute its support. The categories of IA and Innovation Ecosystem are defined and deepened through classic authors and texts, of unquestionable relevance in the field of Business Sciences. In this order, we also delve into the characterization of SMEs based on their importance and functionality in the Innovation Ecosystems. Likewise, a socioeconomic characterization of the context selected for the research is carried out, starting with a synthesis referring to Ecuador, and then proceeding to the characterization of a specific region of this country, Tungurahua, the specific scenario selected for the case study. To achieve the general objective of the thesis, first of all, the Innovative Ecosystem of Tungurahua is analyzed through a case study of seven SMEs and five agents of the Innovative Ecosystem of Tungurahua. The main objectives are: To identify the main actors that drive AI in Tungurahua, as well as to analyze the implementation and perspectives of said innovation model in the referred Ecosystem. In this context, a work strategy was developed based on observation and interview techniques with a selection of managers corresponding to both agents and SMEs of the Tungurahua Ecosystem. The results of this study show that, despite the presence of few actors and agents from public and private organizations, the existence of internal and external barriers that limit innovative development, AI practices are valuable in this ecosystem because they involve a proactive search for opportunities outside the organizations to access new markets, discover emerging trends, access resources and financing, access funds or tax incentives o strengthen the financial capacity of organizations, access better spaces for advice on legal aspects, regulations, policies, business opportunities in new markets, developing alliances for internalization and increasing the visibility and credibility of organizations. Secondly, the impact of the formalization of the innovation strategy on AI activities in Ecuadorian SMEs is analyzed, considering the effect of these activities on innovative performance and the moderating effect of control measures. For this purpose, an empirical study of 543 Ecuadorian firms is developed, proposing a structural model that is estimated by partial least squares (PLS-SEM). This model concludes that formalization has a positive relationship with the performance of inbound and outbound activities in Ecuadorian SMEs, this link is established in the context of Ecuador with the need to reduce poverty at the national level and mainly in urban and rural areas where SMEs with low innovation indicators are found. In this order the application of the referred model demonstrates that organizations that implement a systematic planning, encourage collaboration with external partners and improve their collaboration methods to develop skills in the use of resources, this benefits in the planning of future innovation projects, through the implementation of appropriate controls. Finally, the effects of commercial and institutional networks on innovation in Ecuadorian SMEs are studied, considering the mediating effect of environmental orientation. To carry out this objective, the same sample of companies was used as in the previous study. The results confirm that the environmental orientation of the SME exerts a mediating effect on the relationship between commercial networks and the two types of innovation considered: product innovation and process innovation.