Benefits of Web-based Idea Management System Application

Purpose: Research web-based idea management system (IMS) application benefits and their relations with different IMS types and how it is all related to the IMS results – idea quality, idea quantity and involvement. Design/Method/Approach: On the basis of a commercially available web-based IMS study and the analysis of cases of the IMS use, the main benefits of IMS were identified. The survey verified the most typical benefits for the IMS use. On the basis of a thematic analysis of the benefits, they were grouped together in advance in the thematic groups that were addressed. Data collection: the survey of 400 enterprises with web-based IMS experience was carried out. Data analysis: descriptive statistics and MANOVA analysis were utilized. Findings: The potential benefits of IMS in 4 main groups: the benefits of an idea management (IM) process, the benefits of innovation management, the benefits of cooperation, and the benefits of general management were determined.  According to MANOVA, all groups of benefits have strong connections with all types of a web-based IMS. Originality/Value: This study fills the previously identified need to clarify the types of IMS and their impact on the results and benefits of IMS application. Academic contribution to the study is (1) it is the broadest survey-based study of the web-based IMS benefits; (2) it applies two classifications of IMS; (3) it explores relations among the results, benefits and IMS types. Practical contribution is the outcomes of the study will help companies to understand what results can be achieved using different types of IMS. Research Limitations/Future Research: This research opens avenues for the future research on the web-based IMS application in organizations exploring each of the benefit relations with the web-based IMS types.   Paper type: Empirical.