Abstract
The economy at large and the software industry in particular are benefiting more and more from the innovative contributions of their clients. In an age where software producers need to launch constantly improved products and solutions at an ever-faster pace—products that offer measurable added value for their buyers—relying on in-house innovation is often not enough. To meet this need, forward-looking companies have discovered the trend towards “open innovation” to improve their competitiveness and serve the needs of their clients better. They are turning to activities and programs that actively include the client in the development process, albeit to different degrees. This symbiosis has benefits for both sides. For software producers, the options range from traditional beta tests or customer councils to such pioneering means as open-source projects or open innovation contests, all of which have one purpose: Integrating the ideas of the wider world into their research and development efforts.
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Dörnemann, H. (2014). Customers as the Engines of Innovation. In: Abolhassan, F. (eds) The Road to a Modern IT Factory. Management for Professionals. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40219-7_23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40219-7_23
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