Mechanisms for stimulating supplier innovations

The role of suppliers in innovation has been largely recognized, as the most qualified expertise is located outside the boundaries of a company. The main objective of this paper is to develop, through a systematic literature review and qualitative content analyses, understanding on the means and mechanisms that stimulate supplier innovations. In specific, we aim at answering the following questions: How can the mechanisms and antecedents that enhance supplier innovations be synthesized ? What are the mechanisms suggested specifically to stimulate suppliers to innovate? We focus on companies' possibilities to promote innovations by suppliers, and with suppliers.