Open innovation as a model to boost the business success of SMEs in the automotive sector: A multiple case study

In an environment characterised by high competitiveness, companies must constantly innovate and focus on products and processes continuous improvement. Portugal’s business environment is predominantly made up of SMEs, which, given their characteristics, are more limited in terms of resources and capacity. This study aims to understand how the open innovation model could enhance the business success of SMEs within the Portuguese automotive sector. Through a qualitative approach, multiple case studies were used to analyse three SMEs operating in the Portuguese automotive sector. Interviews and document analysis were employed to gather the necessary information. The results obtained allow us to infer that, for the sample in this study, open innovation is an enabler of SMEs’ business success. The open innovation model promotes business barriers overcoming, thus stimulating cooperative and inter-organisational cooperation. The study contributes to filling gaps in the existing literature and provides practical examples of the successful application of the open innovation model. These experiences have a positive impact on the Portuguese managers’ mindset, encouraging entrepreneurial cooperation in Portugal.