--- title: Is Your Business Benefiting from Open Innovation? description: Is your business benefiting from open innovation? According to a recent Forbes article, ideas can come from anywhere, meaning those that aren't embracing it, could well be missing out. image: https://www.talkfreely.com/hubfs/my-life-through-a-lens-110632-unsplash-1.jpg --- [![talkfreelylogo](https://www.talkfreely.com/hubfs/Website/Global/talkfreelylogo.svg "talkfreelylogo")](http://talkfreely.com) - [Features](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app) - [News & Videos](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionOne) - [Messaging](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionTwo) - [Feedback & Surveys](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionThree) - [Social](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionFour) - [Integrations & API](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionFive) - [Document Library](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionSix) - [Collaboration](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionSeven) - [Analytics & Dashboards](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionEight) - Solutions - [Internal Comms App](https://www.talkfreely.com/solutions/internal-communications) - [Mobile Intranet](https://www.talkfreely.com/solutions/employee-intranet-solution) - [Employee Experience](https://www.talkfreely.com/solutions/employee-engagement) - [Pricing](https://www.talkfreely.com/pricing) - Resources - [Blog](https://www.talkfreely.com/blog) - [Resource Downloads](https://www.talkfreely.com/resources) - [Internal Communication](https://www.talkfreely.com/internal-communications-guide) - [Employee Engagement](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-engagement) - [Innovation Management](https://www.talkfreely.com/resources/35-things-you-need-to-know-about-business-innovation-and-idea-management) - [Local Government](https://www.talkfreely.com/local-government) - [Contact](https://www.talkfreely.com/contact) - [Log In](https://my.talkfreely.com/signin) - [FREE Trial](https://www.talkfreely.com/free-trial/employee-engagement-app) - [Features](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app) - [News & Videos](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionOne) - [Messaging](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionTwo) - [Feedback & Surveys](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionThree) - [Social](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionFour) - [Integrations & API](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionFive) - [Document Library](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionSix) - [Collaboration](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionSeven) - [Analytics & Dashboards](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-app#solutionEight) - Solutions - [Internal Comms App](https://www.talkfreely.com/solutions/internal-communications) - [Mobile Intranet](https://www.talkfreely.com/solutions/employee-intranet-solution) - [Employee Experience](https://www.talkfreely.com/solutions/employee-engagement) - [Pricing](https://www.talkfreely.com/pricing) - Resources - [Blog](https://www.talkfreely.com/blog) - [Resource Downloads](https://www.talkfreely.com/resources) - [Internal Communication](https://www.talkfreely.com/internal-communications-guide) - [Employee Engagement](https://www.talkfreely.com/employee-engagement) - [Innovation Management](https://www.talkfreely.com/resources/35-things-you-need-to-know-about-business-innovation-and-idea-management) - [Local Government](https://www.talkfreely.com/local-government) - [Contact](https://www.talkfreely.com/contact) - [Log In](https://my.talkfreely.com/signin) - [FREE Trial](https://www.talkfreely.com/free-trial/employee-engagement-app) # Is Your Business Benefiting from Open Innovation? Kirsty Young - January 23, 2015 Collaboration and innovation are not mutually exclusive; innovation happens through collaboration. In an articles for Forbes, Kate Vitasek expands on how "Good ideas can come from anywhere and leading companies are finding that innovation is often produced over time with a lot of collective sweat equity by many people." The article focuses on successful collaborations by giant companies such as Proctor and Gamble, whose CEO A. G Lafley set a vision that “Half of our new products \[would\] come from our own labs, and half would come through them.” The approach certainly worked for P&G, as they invested in what Vitasek terms a "Highly collaborative Vested 'What’s-in-it-for-We' business model." The key to P&G's success certainly benefited from finding open-minded business to work with, but it's worth remembering the original goal the P&G CEO set - half from outside, half from inside. That involves major collaboration and co-operation within the business, as well as with outside parties. For many businesses, it is this element of internal collaboration and co-operation that is a major challenge in itself. [![A failure to innovate can hinder the success of any organisation. That’s why we created our own innovation white paper – to help you flourish in an ever-changing economic climate.](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4247751/b39ebcc4-d36c-4201-b090-593fcfb33f9c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4247751/b39ebcc4-d36c-4201-b090-593fcfb33f9c) Collaboration and co-operation amongst your employees is key to the success of your business. Without it, employees work in isolation, unable or unwilling to share knowledge, insights and business acumen across the desk, let alone across departments. By fostering a culture of collaboration within your business, you can liberate all that creativity and experience to focus on the challenges in your business. Ideas may be the [spark of innovation](https://www.talkfreely.com/blog/things-you-need-to-know-about-ideation-and-business-innovation), but collaboration is the fuel that drives it forward and shapes 'light bulb moments' into new products, new services, and better ways of working. So, before you start looking outside your business for new partnerships, make sure it's happening inside your organisation first. Indeed, the Forbes article comes to much the same conclusion: "The future will likely be won by those who don’t wait for light-bulb moments from a single genius, but rather develop highly collaborative win-win relationships that leverage the collective power of many." Click [here](http://www.forbes.com/sites/katevitasek/2015/01/13/innovation-and-collaboration-its-not-an-either-or-proposition/) for the Forbes article. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4247751/fc442ac9-8249-4feb-aeb8-9d08b4da55a6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4247751/fc442ac9-8249-4feb-aeb8-9d08b4da55a6) Topics: [Innovation Management](https://www.talkfreely.com/blog/tag/innovation-management) [❮❮ Go Back](https://www.talkfreely.com/blog) ![Talkfreely - An employee app for large and difficult to reach workforces.](https://www.talkfreely.com/hubfs/talkfreely-logo-white-01.svg) ### Engage every employee with your own branded Internal Comms App [![Find out more](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4247751/a871a275-d6ae-4f06-9073-eafb9672dbec.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4247751/a871a275-d6ae-4f06-9073-eafb9672dbec) #### Featured Resources ![The big book of employee engagement ideas](https://www.talkfreely.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LP%20Assets/The-Talkfreely-big-book-of-employee-engagement-ideas-guide.jpg?width=590&height=436&name=The-Talkfreely-big-book-of-employee-engagement-ideas-guide.jpg) ### The big book of employee engagement ideas If you are looking to improve employee engagement, this guide is a great place to start. Packed with 44 pages of ideas, insights and inspiration to help you engage your workforce. [Download your copy](https://www.talkfreely.com/download/the-big-book-of-employee-engagement-ideas) ![How to choose an employee engagement solution](https://www.talkfreely.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Talkfreely-how-to-choose-an-employee-engagement-solution.jpg?width=610&height=412&name=Talkfreely-how-to-choose-an-employee-engagement-solution.jpg) ### How to choose the right employee engagement solution Navigating the world of employee engagement solutions can be overwhelming. Download our guide to help you choose the best option for you, your employees and your business. 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