Combining collaboration and competition: a key to improved idea management?

Earlier research in the field of idea management has highlighted both collaboration and competition driving ideation. While these two are normally considered opposing and excluding, recent work proposes them to be complements. Previous studies have primarily focused on firm-external communities, and little is known about the joint use of collaboration and competition inside firms. This paper addresses collaborative and competitive mechanisms used in firm-internal idea management. Case studies of three multinational firms active in idea management have been performed. The firms' use of collaboration and competition in firm-internal idea management is analysed, revealing that the two approaches can be combined, and explores how their paradoxical coexistence can be managed. This study underlines the importance of addressing intrinsic motivation and facilitating sharing of knowledge in order to bridge and align collaboration and competition mechanisms. It also highlights issues of rewards and company culture, requiring informed attention from human resources management.