The Impact of Innovation Management Systems on Firms’ Innovation Performance: The Mediating Role of Openness to Innovation

This study examines the impact of Innovation Management Systems (IMS) maturity on companies' Innovation Performance, specifically emphasizing the ISO 56002 standard as a guiding framework. The present investigation explores the mediating role of Open Innovation (OI) in this relationship, investigating how openness to external collaboration affects the effectiveness of structured innovation processes. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) identifies significant gaps, notably the scarcity of empirical evidence regarding the integration of IMS with OI techniques and their collective impact on performance outcomes. Empirical data were gathered via a survey of 139 medium-to-large Italian enterprises spanning several sectors. The study assesses organizations' IMS maturity, their openness to innovation, and the interaction between these factors in influencing Innovation Performance. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) demonstrates that an established Innovation Management System (IMS) enhances Innovation Performance both directly and indirectly by promoting openness to external knowledge transfer and collaboration. The results enhance the current IMS literature by illustrating that a systematic approach to innovation management, in conjunction with Open Innovation methods, can yield exceptional innovation results. These findings provide practical guidance for managers and decision-makers aiming to improve their organizations' innovation capacities and attain durable competitive advantages in progressively interconnected markets.