As the analysis method, I used a qualitative content analysis. In qualitative content analysis, the data is examined by categorizing, seeking differences and similarities and summarizing (Saaranen-Kauppinen & Puusniekka 2006). The emphasis is on “what is said” and “what is done” (Eriksson and Kovalainen 2016, 119). The aim is to growth the understanding about the phenomenon of the study in the certain context which was open innovation and collaboration experiences among different stakeholders.
The data used in qualitative content analysis can be based on different types of texts such as notes, minutes of the meetings, statistics or reports, or audio-visual data such as video recordings, tape recordings or pictures. With different sources of data rich and detailed interpretation can be provided. When the data is collected from several sources, it will be more realistic and reliable. Additionally, all used sources help the
researcher to create a “big picture” of the phenomenon (Eriksson and Kovalainen 2016, 120). The data used in my research was collected from interviews which I made during September and October 2016. There were 11 interviewees. The participants were working for the City of Vantaa, as entrepreneurs, and representatives of associations or local residents. All of them have some connection to Kuusijärvi area. Additionally, I collected data from the proposal of Kuusijärvi which was conducted by the city planning department of the City of Vantaa, memos and reports provided the City of Vantaa.
Besides material from interviews and different documents I have collected data from several electric sources such as Cafe Kuusijärvi’s and the City of Vantaa web pages.
(Eriksson & Kovalainen 2016; Saaranen-Kauppinen & Puusniekka 2006.)
The interviewees consisted of five women and six men. Three of them work in different departments of Vantaa City, tourism, city plan and city council, more specifically. Five of the interviewees are entrepreneurs, one of them works for Metsähallitus and two of them are residents and represent some local association which have activities in Kuusijärvi recreational center. Before starting the interviews, I asked permission to record and use the material in my research. Every interviewee assigned a documentation which gave me a permission to use the material as the data in my study.
It was also made clear that I don’t have a permission to and I won’t share the material to third parties or in social media, for example. After recording the interviews, I transcribed them. The date and duration of the interviews can be seen in the Table 1.
Table 1. Dates, time and duration of the interviews.
Date Time Duration (h/m/s) Interview 1 24.8.2016 4 p.m. 0.33.35
Interview 2 29.8.2016 9 a.m. 0.33.01 Interview 3 29.8.2016 3 p.m. 1.08.35 Interview 4 30.8.2016 1 p.m. 0.30.46 Interview 5 31.8.2016 9 a.m. 0.23.51 Interview 6 1.9.2016 10 a.m. 0.17.07 Interview 7 1.9.2016 3 p.m. 0.26.21 Interview 8 7.9.2016 10 a.m. 1.06.15 Interview 9 15.9.2016 1 p.m. 0.16.08 Interview 10 4.10.2016 1 p.m. 0.51.21 Interview 11 5.10.2016 1 p.m. 0.21.29
Between categorization and interpretation type of qualitative content analysis I implemented categorization type of analysis. It is a suitable approach because it aims to provide “a general and holistic picture of the studied phenomenon” (Eriksson &
Kovalainen 2016, 122). In categorization type coding the data is necessary. This means that the researcher aims to find certain similarities from the data. These similarities can be themes or key words which are repeated in different interviews, for example.
Themes, keywords, sentences and phrases are considered as “coding units” (Eriksson &
Kovalainen 2016, 122). The coding units are not limited and both less dynamic and more dynamic coding units can be used in the study.
The next step in my research was to create a coding scheme which included all the coding categories. They can be provided both from the theory and from the collected data. The coding scheme includes labelling or naming the definitions, the specification of the codes, the instructions of proper coding and identifying them and the criteria of exclusions. After categorization, the data codes modification was done. For example,
some categories can be merged or divided. The aim is to search patterns, trends and relationships from the collected data. Coding requires close examination of the researcher. The code units reflect the researcher's interests and perspectives as well as the information in the data (Gubrium & Holstein 2001, 16). Bryman (2012) suggests implementing coding right after the data have been collected. Moreover, transcriptions should be written in the early stage.
The written data can be gone through several times during coding. Remarks and observation can be done during the double check. During the coding, it is important to consider more general theoretical ideas in relation to codes and data (Bryman 2012, 577), review the codes and that any one part of data can be coded in more than one way. It is important that the logic of coding is written to the research. Then the reader understands it easier. (Bryman 2012; Eriksson & Kovalainen 2016; Gubrium & Holstein 2001.)
When started the coding process I went through the recorded and transcribed material very carefully a few times. I made new notes about the data and wrote down words, phrases, and themes, which were mentioned in the interviews. For each interview, I made new notes. After that I scratched a table were all the interviewees had their own row and most important questions asked in the interviews had its own line. When I was listening to the records again, I read the notes and wrote new marks to the table. After making the notes I recognized similarities from the material. There were same words, themes, phrases and sentences used in similar contexts. Some words were used for different content depending on the interviewees’ point of views.
During the coding, I recognized six different main themes how matters of the discussions can be divided. Those are general comments of the project, experiences, roles, advancing innovation, boundaries and challenges, and actions of the City of Vantaa which are advancing the innovation and collaboration. I started to make notes
with markers with different colors. In the table, every theme had a certain color. I used the colors in sentences, phrases and words to indicate the certain theme. This can be seen in the Table 2. Some sentences, phrases and words can be put under several
Experiences and views of the project
Successful / unsuccessful matters
What do you remember the most
There’
How does the innovations have been developed by Vantaa
The future / how to develop more
Excelle
How does Vantaa support collaboration
Does the City support open innovation
Busine
Other operators, how open and innovative the atmosphere is?
4 ANALYSIS AND THE RESULTS
After the qualitative content analysis, there are several different phenomena seen as the research result. Different categorization, typing, themes and classifications due to coding has arisen. The main themes in coding were the beginning of the project, experiences, roles, advancing innovation, boundaries and challenges, and actions of the City of Vantaa which are advancing the innovation and collaboration. The tables 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 summarize the coding in each category. These themes can be linked to the collaborative innovation and participatory innovation models, cooperation of different stakeholders, the city development and tourism and tourism innovation.
As the open innovation approach is no longer related only to technology branch, public authorities have started to use it in their innovation and collaboration processes.
Matsson & Sørenssen (2015) notes that because the managing in the public sector has been changing, new inventions must be brought up. That will manage with the help of open innovation and collaboration. The City of Vantaa is and wants to be knew of its experimental approaches and collaboration with residents and private sector. In the city plan department, the City of Vantaa uses different methods and technological tools to develop city development with its residents. In the city renewal project of Kuusijärvi recreational area, several methods for collaboration were used as well. As Chesbrough (2003) mentions saved time and costs reductions, the benefits of collaboration related to products, services and ideas and gained resources and knowledge, the City of Vantaa has benefitted open innovation processes previously. For example, City of Vantaa’s business department is collaborating with private enterprises around international airport where new innovations have been tested by the residents. (Chesbrough 2007;
Matsson & Sørenssen 2015.)
There were altogether 11 interviewees I interviewed to the research. All of them are involved for the Kuusijärvi’s development project. They are working in the public sector,
as entrepreneurs or represented some association which operates on the recreational area. Additionally, three of them represented the city residents’ view. Generally, the experiences about the development project itself were positive. All thought that Kuusijärvi has potential to became more attractive tourism destination. Developing the area to more reachable destination was considered positive matter as well. However, many challenges were brought up in the conversations.