Knowledge co-creation for flexible packaging: learning from a case study

The capacity of enterprises to create knowledge throughout the innovation process has been pinpointed as a pivotal source of competitive advantage (Bierly et al., 2009; Grant, 1996). In recent decades, corporations have come to recognize that such knowledge creation cannot be confined exclusively within the organizational realm. In order to increase their pool of knowledge, businesses are progressively involving external stakeholders during the innovation process in the co-creation of knowledge (Hoyer et al., 2010; Mahr et al., 2014). Different studies investigated and illustrated the process by which enterprises integrate a specific category of external stakeholders into their innovation processes (Horn and Brem, 2013). In particular, a current of research is dedicated to investigating the involvement of empowered consumers in such processes (Kazadi et al., 2016). As far as innovation process is concerned, environmental or green innovation has been the main innovation focus of interest for many researchers (e.g. Amores-Salvado et al., 2014). Beyond the environmental aspects, several benefits derive from environmental innovation. For example, it allows to lower external costs (e.g., Beise and Rennings, 2005), allows the improvement of companies’ efficiency, cost reduction, satisfies demand of environmentally friendly consumers, improves financial and business profitability (Amores-Salvado et al., 2014). However, Cainelli et al. (2015) have shown that environmental innovations are characterized by high levels of uncertainty, novelty and variety. Consequently, in such a context knowledge co-creation should have a fundamental role in facing the above mentioned challenges. Based on these premises, the purpose of our study is to improve our understanding of how knowledge is co-created with consumer involvement in the environmental innovation process, and which technological capabilities a lead firm requires to manage this knowledge co-creation process. In addressing these issues, we conducted a comprehensive literature review on the topic of knowledge co-creation, followed by a case study involving an innovative startup operating in the development of flexible packaging.