Reducing uncertainty: Openness in the front-end of innovation

To reduce uncertainty in the “fuzzy front-end” is one key objective in the innovation process.Various authors claim that openness is one way to reduce uncertainty. The objective of this study is to analyze whetherand howacross-industry foresight project in the fuzzy front-endcan help to reduce uncertainty or whether the diversity of companies tends to hinder knowledge generation. This qualitative study shows insights into a collaborative foresight project in which seven organizations from different industries have participated to discuss and to identify the potentials of the blockchain-technology in terms of future innovations based on this technology. First analyses showthat this project have reduced the level of uncertainty and made it easier for the participating organizations to engage in a strategic decision on how to deal with the phenomenon of the blockchain-technology in the future. Particular emphasis was placed on the diversity of input, the possibility to generate completelydifferent new ideas,and the “out-of-the-box-thinking”. However, wealsofound that important prerequisites are an open mindset to this “cross-industry foresight approach” andintermediaries -who take intoaccount the different goals and requirements of the participating companies.