(The) role of remixing for generating innovative ideas in online innovation communities

Abstract

An online innovation community is a space where individuals can create and share their ideas, potentially creating new innovations through remixing of innovative ideas. Based on the theory of recombination innovation, we studied how innovative ideas are generated from the remixing process in online innovation communities. In this study, 57,048 ideas were collected from Thingiverse, one of the 3D printing online innovation communities, and verified through ordinary least squares regression analysis. As a result of the analysis, results show that the number of prior ideas and degree of innovation of idea had an inverted U-shaped relationship, and that the cross-boundary remix had a positive effect on the degree of innovation of ideas. In addition, as additional analysis methods, Tobit regression, negative binomial regression, and zero-inflated negative binomial regression analysis were performed, and consistent results with the main results were obtained.