The level of adopting open innovation : case study : Gazan incubators' micro, small and medium enterprises

Other Title(s)

مستوى تبني الابتكار المفتوح : دراسة حالة : الشركات المتوسطة و الصغيرة ومتناهية الصغر الناشئة من حاضنات الأعمال في غزة

Dissertant

al-Thawabitah, Khulud Mansur Muhammad

Thesis advisor

Abu Muammar, Faris Mahmud

University

Islamic University

Faculty

Faculty of Commerce

Department

Department of Business Administration

University Country

Palestine (Gaza Strip)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2018

English Abstract

The study of the level of adopting open innovation (OI) in Gazan incubators' micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) aims to investigate to what extent these enterprises adopt and apply the different practices of OI.

These practices are divided into eight main practices as the following: venturing, outward intellectual property (IP), the participation of non R&D staff in the innovation process, the participation of customers in the innovation process, external networks, external participation, R&D outsourcing and licensing- in.

In order to achieve this purpose, the research followed the descriptive, analytical approach to answer the research questions and test the research hypotheses.

A questionnaire was designed as a main data collection tool, in addition to that informal interviews were conducted and helped to enrich the result of this research.

The research population was the incubated enterprises in the business incubators in the Gaza strip which amounted to 143 successful enterprises and a comprehensive survey of all these enterprises was conducted.

The results of the analysis confirmed that the most widely accepted and applied OI practices by MSMEs are customer involvement and the participation of non R&D staff in the innovation process.

After that, the practices that have tended to practice weakly are external networks, external participation, outward IP and venturing.

The weakest practices applied by MSMEs -although their importance - are the using of external R & D services and licensing-in.

The research also showed that the characteristics of the enterprises as (to which incubator it belongs, whether the incubation period ended or not, year of establishing and the location of the company) did not affect of any activities or practices of OI.

But the number of the employees and the sector of work in the enterprise's characteristics had a role to change the results of applying OI practices.

In the last results, the research showed that the characteristics of the respondents such as (gender, age and the nature of working in the team) did not make any difference in the results.

The research eventually concluded with a set of recommendations that help MSMEs to adopt and apply OI practices in seriously, and they as the following firstly updating and uniting of the intellectual properties' protection system in the Gaza Strip and developing a program to raise awareness with some international bodies, then training workers in this field.

Secondly, there should be an interest by incubators to clarify the importance of relations for the incubated enterprises with external networks and helping them to develop their skills in it.

Thirdly, government, incubators and universities should facilitate the external participation of the enterprises.

Finally, raising awareness of the importance of external studies and research that may gain the skills and knowledge they need.

Main Subjects

Business Administration

Topics

• Business incubators
• Small enterprises
• Case studies
• Gaza Strip
• Small projects

No. of Pages

155

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-911786