When I started out to explore the Open Innovation field in collaboration with Unilever, I researched how to make the sometimes arbitrary Open Innovation into a well managed process.

Today I am not talking about Open Innovation anymore; instead the model I developed is a set of tools on how to create an Ecosystem of Partners. Ecosystems are a new way of looking at Open Innovation and collaboration, and have taken open innovation to the next level by making relationships ongoing and evolving.

Have you encountered this movement of Ecosystem of partners?

Ecosystems of Partners defined is a network of symbiotic relationships between a hub entity (initiator) and several ancillary entities (partners) formed with the objective of sharing resources to achieve mutually beneficial goals.

Looking at Open Innovation this way makes Apple a best practice example of Ecosystem of Partners.

 ”What you end up with is a kind of Apple archipelago—this cluster of islands in this big digital sea that are great places to hang out,”

Paul Saffo, Silicon Valley futurist  

Would be great to hear your reflections about this,

Annelie Andersson

sannelie@gmail.com 

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