In many industries, innovations are the most important driver for economic success. Because of globalization and increasing competition, companies are forced to accelerate their innovation rates. Currently however, most innovations fail in the market as Berth/Kienbaum have shown within a study on innovation efficiency monitoring the output of 1919 ideas. Out of all ideas, 369 concrete projects arose, 176 became finished products and 52 of them were brought to market entry. 24 of these were total losses, 17 developed on average and only 11 provided real success.

It is highly paradox that innovations often seem to arise contrary to any rules and that higher expenditures for Research & Development do not always guarantee success. R&D-management therefore has to face the challenge to decide in which innovation projects to invest. Available resources have to be allocated efficiently throughout this process. Innovation controlling therefore gains importance and has a significant influence on the R&D-performance of a company.  An increasing part of innovations, how-ever, is descended from external sources, because in a world of widespread knowledge, companies cannot entirely rely on their own research in order to be innovative, but need to integrate external competencies where necessary. The concept of “Open Innovation”  therefore even constitutes a new challenge for the innovation controlling of cooperative networks or virtual organizations.

The main question is therefore whether you should be rather cooperative than controlling in regard to innovation, especially in virtual organizations. On the other hand, resources could be wasted if no one looks at their efficient assignment.