An analysis of the interplay between organizational sustainability, knowledge management, and open innovation

Organizational sustainability increasingly focuses on how to manage new knowledge of ideas and practices that can expand business. Open innovation plays a key role towards effective strategic sustainable management. Through open innovation, companies can leverage knowledge management to an asset that promotes sustainable innovations that influence back organizational sustainability. This paper explores the case of a Brazilian family-owned company of rubber products, operating in the sectors of health, education, and coatings, which based on organizational sustainability uses knowledge to develop open innovation aiming to promote sustainable innovations. The methodology is an exploratory single case study research based on informal observation, semi structured interviews with key informants, and focus group discussions. The case study's results explore in depth the company's experience in adopting the strategic organizational sustainability using knowledge management and open innovation to promote sustainable innovations in accordance with the model of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for eco-innovation, acting as a driver for significant changes in the organization's culture in organizational sustainability. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.