Contribution to Collaborative Innovation Studies: Cases of SMES Moroccan Automotive Suppliers and their Client

The aim of this work is to study how collaborative innovation succeeds between a large enterprise and SME relationship (Manufacturer-Equipment) in automotive supply chain using case studies. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with managers in nine firms. The main intention was to understand how these companies engaged collaborative innovation and what the factors were to make it successful. The study adopted a qualitative approach in the study of these factors. The results show the importance of the internal capacities of SMEs (management style, innovation capacities, knowledge management ...) in the success and valorization of such a project. The study provides important lessons on how these relationships can impact the way businesses operate and how they innovate