Organizational change process and forces for change : case study of European SMEs adopting open innovation

Abstract

This master thesis studies external and internal forces affecting organizational change process in combination with open innovation practices in SMEs that are in their renewal stage of organizational life-cycle. This research applies qualitative methods and case study research strategy to the research of organizational change process in 24 European SMEs. This work aims to answer how forces for change influence the change process in SME; what is the difference between external and internal forces in their impact; how can open innovation practices contribute the change process in SME. The organizational change process is described with self-elaborated change process model; four types of changes in SMEs are investigated and categorized. The research propositions in this work also address such issues as lack of resources in SME, market turbulence, obstacles for organizational change. The results of the analysis are discussed and interpreted in order to close the theoretical gap of SME investigations in the intersection of organizational life-cycle theory, organizational change theory and open innovation concept. The study is limited by the characteristics of data sample: investigated SMEs are innovative companies in the renewal stage of organizational life-cycle and the research process does not address other stages.