Managing External Innovation: The Case of Platform Extensions

specialized notion of sandbox in the sense of an environment for executing non-trusted
applications (such as applets).
A sandbox can also include the capability to test multiple platform configurations where
the module being tested is combined with other modules and the opportunity to simulate
environmental conditions to exert the module (for example, if deployment of the module
requires the presence of special hardware, or should be tested with multiple users) (Bosch
& Bosch-Sijtsema, 2009).
2.3 Lessons learned
The lessons learned from the literature are:
• The research regarding the development of platform extensions is still in its early
stages, so there is not much literature on the strategies and frameworks used to
manage the platform extension development process.
• Open innovation leads to porous boundaries between firms and their surrounding
environment, which facilitates information flow with external parties, but also
results in a loss of direct control over the quality of product features.
• Elements of the architecture of participation such as technical design,
development process and intellectual property are important enablers for
leveraging innovation and controlling quality in the platform network.
• There are different models to open up the innovation process and collaboration
governance but there are no frameworks to control the quality of the outcome.
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