Living Labs as open innovation systems for knowledge exchange: solutions for sustainable innovation development

In nowadays knowledge economy, no more general ‘best practice’ innovation management exists. Within this paper we investigate the potential of Living Labs as open innovation systems that foster different knowledge transfers amongst the actors participating in them. By means of an in-depth case study research we explore a variety of hypotheses abstracted from the open innovation literature on knowledge transfers and other variables influencing exchange and collaboration in open innovation systems. We conclude that given certain criteria are met, Living Labs can be a solution for sustainable innovation development.