An investigation of the relationship between open innovation and business financial performance in South Africa: a firm-level analysis based on accounting data

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between open innovation practices and financial performance for public companies in South Africa. Despite the growing number of theoretical and empirical studies on open innovation and performance, the results on open innovation and performance, the results have been mixed. Employing a quantitative approach and drawing from financial data, this research assesses measures of openness, inbound and outbound innovation alongside the financial performance indicator, Return on Assets.