Digital Open Innovation for Sustainability: Evidence From Italian Big Energy Corporations

This study focuses on Digital Open Innovation as a catalyst for sustainability in companies in the underdeveloped sector of energy and power. Specifically, analysis of the ENI and ENEL case study highlights the relationship between Open Innovation, Digital technologies and a strategic approach to Sustainability. The findings show how Digital Open Innovation can address sustainability practices and objectives through multiple stakeholders’ collective engagement. Open leadership aimed at involving stakeholders and creating shared value guides the strategic approach to Sustainability. It creates an organizational culture and a favorable environment to the development of open Innovation strategies. Furthermore, the digital platform for open innovation processes support the integration of companies’ social, environmental, and economic objectives. Findings provide an integrated and threefold contribution consisting of achievement of a more comprehensive and systemic definition of digital open innovation; contextualization of digital transformation and open innovation for sustainability in an industry traditionally recognized to have a high environmental impact; and identification of potential and cross-disciplinary future trends for advancement of the research agenda. Implications for theory and practices close the article.