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Lead users and the organization

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Managing Innovation in a Global and Digital World

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Abstract

Lead user research has branched out into many different research streams. In this paper I take an organizational view and differentiate three different perspectives which historically emerged in this sequence. First, lead users as external creators of ideas for focal firms. Second, lead users as creators of organizations. Third, lead users as internal creators of ideas for focal firms. I elaborate on opportunities for further research in each of these perspectives. As becomes apparent, Cornelius Herstatt has been a pioneer researcher in each of these perspectives and a significant source of inspiration for his students.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Strategie, Technologie und Organisation, Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien, Vienna, Austria

    Christopher Lettl

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  1. Christopher Lettl
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Correspondence to Christopher Lettl .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Rajnish Tiwari

  2. Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany

    Stephan Buse

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Lettl, C. (2020). Lead users and the organization. In: Tiwari, R., Buse, S. (eds) Managing Innovation in a Global and Digital World. Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27241-8_8

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