Managing knowledge and innovation as a startup : A study on how Swedish tech startups work with knowledge management in order to utilize inbound open innovation

Sammanfattning: Swedish tech startups are at the forefront of innovation and growth. Startups however often face challenges in knowledge management, due to their fast paced growth. The purpose of this study is to explore how Swedish tech startups work with knowledge management in order to utilize inbound open innovation across a company. The study takes on an abductive approach. Furthermore, the study is qualitative including data gathered through semi-structured interviews with eleven Swedish tech startups. The findings show that the investigated tech startups work with knowledge management systems to transfer explicit knowledge, but tacit knowledge is communicated verbally, as the systems do not successfully facilitate the transfer of tacit knowledge, nor fully support the conversion from information to knowledge. Furthermore, employees have a high level of operative freedom and initiate collaboration and networking when needed. The investigated companies selectively hire like-minded people to create a culture that facilitates information sharing and collaboration through internal commitment across the organization. Top management is important to the overall structures and in communicating the company vision, while lower-level managers support and ease the daily operations. These activities strengthen a company's knowledge management and in turn its ability to utilize inbound open innovation. Overall, it is also evident that the startups are challenged by their fast paced growth, affecting all four researched dimensions of knowledge management.