METHODOLOGY FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF OPEN INNOVATION TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY IN E-MARKETPLACES OF SMEs

Sustainable development and sustainability represent related concepts, although not the same, because sustainability is understood as the point of arrival or end and sustainable development as one of the paths to reach it (Shaker, 2015). However, since it is a study with a business focus, in this project it is preferred to adopt the concept of sustainability (Londoño and Cruz, 2019). In this regard, it must be said that there is already a variety of tools that analyze corporate sustainability (Tabares, 2020), including those that use international standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Dow Jones Sustainability (DJS) (Polanco et al. , 2016), and other approaches developed by local institutions and by the companies themselves (Londoño, 2018). However, an exhaustive review of the state of the art and the technique do not account for instruments that measure open innovation with a sustainability approach, even less in e-marketplaces, which are understood as the website where transactions are generated between users. different economic agents (Sviokla and Rayport, 1994) and, whose growth has been due to the development of information technologies (Jia and Li, 2020), which has contributed to reducing communication and transaction costs by allowing many companies to sell their goods and services to other companies and consumers that are geographically distant (Hara, 2020). E-marketplaces constitute an opportunity for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to mitigate economic crises, since these types of companies are incapable of responding quickly to economic and financial recessions (Keith and Pearce, 1993), and the current crisis generated by the Covid-19 pandemic is no exception; In addition, this type of market generates more traffic, giving these companies a greater possibility of increasing their sales (Yee et al., 2018). However, it is necessary to develop business models where the benefits that SMEs have when entering an e-marketplace are evidenced, because until now this has not been very clear (Renna, 2010). In this sense, the purpose of this The project consists of developing a methodology that is useful for measuring open innovation with a focus on sustainability in e-marketplaces for SMEs. As support for this measurement, a conceptual framework is proposed that articulates, at least, the models of three or four pillars of sustainability (Ali-Tourdet and Ji, 2017), the actors external to the company (Felin and Zenger, 2014) , inside-out and outside-in interactions (Vanhaverbeke and Roijakkers, 2013), the macro and micro dynamics of open innovation proposed by Yun and Liu (2019), among others. It is proposed as a tool for measurement, the development of a comprehensive index that evaluates the system in aggregate form and the subsystems that comprise it (Boggia and Cortina, 2010). For its elaboration, it is necessary to establish a reference framework for the selection of variables and indicators, the definition of a method of standardization and weighting of the variables and indicators, the aggregation of these and the application of some sensitivity techniques (Ciommi et al. ., 2017). This instrument will be validated through a pilot test in e-marketplaces aimed at SMEs.

General Objective: Develop a methodology to measure open innovation with a sustainability approach in e-marketplaces oriented to SMEs Specific Objectives: • Characterize the main models and methodologies that exist for measuring open innovation with a sustainability approach. • Establish variables and criteria that allow open innovation to be measured with a sustainability approach. • Structure a methodological proposal that evaluates open innovation with a sustainability approach. • Apply a pilot test of the methodology in e-marketplaces oriented to SMEs in order to validate its relevance and make the necessary adjustments for its proper functioning.

This research project aims to measure open innovation with a sustainability approach, focusing on e-marketplaces oriented to SMEs. The review of the state of the art and the technique do not account for instruments that measure open innovation with a sustainability approach, even less in e-marketplaces, which are understood as the website where transactions are generated between the different economic agents, and whose growth has been due to the development of information technologies, which has contributed to reducing communication and transaction costs by allowing many companies to sell their goods and services to other companies and consumers that are geographically distant. E-marketplaces constitute an opportunity for local SMEs to mitigate economic crises, since this type of company is incapable of responding quickly to economic and financial recessions, and the current crisis generated by Covid-19 is not the exception. Likewise, it is necessary to develop business models where the benefits that SMEs have when entering an e-marketplace are evidenced, because until now this has not been very clear. This will support the measurement of open innovation towards sustainability in e-marketplaces aimed at SMEs, and to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the different dimensions of sustainable development analyzed. This research and its respective products constitute a general guide on how to measure open innovation towards sustainability, initially adapting to e-marketplaces oriented to SMEs. This will make it easier for companies from different sectors to identify the degree of implementation of open innovation and integration of stakeholders to achieve sustainability, and to focus on stakeholders, variables and dimensions that require greater intervention for improvement.•2 ISI WOS or Scopus article, accepted•Document with the results of the study – Research report•Strengthening the research lines of the CyGO Group: Culture and organizational change in the subject of Organizational Change and Development.•Strengthening the research lines of the Research Group in Business and International Relations: International Development and Sustainability•Methodology for measuring open innovation with a sustainability approach•Undergraduate students as research assistants•Master's or specialization students as research assistants•Socialization of research results in a national scientific event.