Cross-industry innovation: A systematic literature review

Abstract

This article performs a systematic literature review of cross-industry innovation (CII), which is a specific case of open innovation (OI) that has proved to be especially relevant in a context of increasing digitalization and technological convergence. In spite of its interest, previous research on CII is disperse in studies adopting different perspectives. A bibliometric analysis and a content analysis were carried out on a sample of 45 articles about CII, published between the year 1997 and the end of 2021. We address five research questions about the conceptualization and types of CII, the main features of CII (types of innovation, industries and actors), the process of CII, its determinants and consequences, and the prevalent methodological trends. By answering our research questions, we present a comprehensive picture of the state of the art of CII and make valuable contributions. Among them, our research provides a new definition of CII and a delimitation of its types, an integration of the processes of CII described under various approaches, and a network map of the cross-fertilization of knowledge among industries, showing the relationship between source and target industries. By identifying unexplored opportunities in the literature, a research agenda is proposed.