University of Bath School of Management Professor Ammon Salter has won the 2021 Dan and Mary Lou Schendel Best Paper Prize for his research into the role of openness in explaining innovation performance in the manufacturing sector.

The annual best paper award from the Strategic Management Society recognises Professor Salter and co-author Professor Keld Laursen of Copenhagen Business school for their paper published in 2006.

“We are delighted to award the 2021 Dan and Mary Lou Schendel Best Paper Prize to Keld Laursen and Ammon Salter for “Open for Innovation: The Role of Openness in Explaining Innovation Performance among Manufacturing Firms.” Published in 2006, this outstanding paper was a pioneering study in the then-nascent area of open innovation,” the Strategic Management Society said in a statement.

The award is for a paper published five or more years prior to the recognition. This delay allows time for the impact of papers to be assessed in terms of citations and influence of the paper on teaching, research, and/or practice, SMS said.

“This paper has proven to be a key linchpin in the evolution of the open innovation literature. Not surprisingly, it is one of the most highly cited articles published in Strategic Management Journal over the last 15 years, and appears on numerous syllabi of graduate courses in technology strategy,” SMS said.

“I am absolutely delighted our research has been recognised in this way and would like to thank SMS for their support,” Salter said. Authors of the winning paper receive a monetary award of US $5,000. The award is given and the authors are recognized at the SMS Annual Conference and are invited to participate in the SMS Awards & Honors Webinar Series.