The document discusses challenges facing banks and the potential for open innovation to help address them. It summarizes interviews with innovation leaders at seven Swiss banks that varied in size, focus, and openness to innovation. The interviews found most banks lacked an innovation culture, knowledge of open innovation, and willingness to involve external sources like clients. Barriers to innovation included risk aversion, lack of resources, and closeness within the industry.

1. PATRICK SCHUEFFEL
MICHELE LUYET
ISPIM CONFERENCE
SINGAPORE
DECEMBER 2014
OPEN INNOVATION
AND BANKING:
IDEAL
COMPLEMENT OR
STARK
CONTRADICTION
HEG - FRIBOURG

2. A Few Facts On Current Banking
2
Financial services companies and especially banks are under heavy
pressure:
• Record low interest rate environment leading to eroding margins
• Ever increasing capital requirements and administrative obligations
increase the cost base
• Hefty fines imposed by regulators for acts of misdemeanors
(tax evasion, boycott violations etc.)
• Abundant number of non-banks are entering the banking business
• In Switzerland: Swiss banking secrecy de-facto abolished over night
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014

3. In Good Company?
The Fastest Dying Industries of the US
3
11.40%
7.40%
6.90% 6.60% 6.40%
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
2008-2012 Revenue Shrinking Rate p.a.
IBISWorld, 2013
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014

4. Mass Extinction Has Already Started
419.11.2014
182
176 174 171 171
166
161
148
139
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
-24%
Source: University of St.Gallen & KPMG, 2014
Switzerland’s private banking population
Dec. 2014ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL

5. The Challenge Banks Are Facing
5
Financial services firms increasingly face complex problems which are
difficult to resolve with limited resources.
To enhance their performance they would need:
• more brain power and creativity
• higher speed in problem solving
which implies higher budgets - which are currently not available
Can Open Innovation help ?
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014

6. Simplified Banking Value Chain
6
Supplier
Needs
Analysis
Client
Investment Divestiture Buyer
Private banking clients occupy positions on both ends of the value chain!
• The banking value chain is unique
• It has a feature that no other industry’s value chain bears
Why not leverage client input by applying open innovation?
Dec. 2014ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL

7. Research Methodology
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014 7
• Case study methodology: suitable for underresearched topics, able to answer
“why” questions
• Theoretical sampling (banks serving individuals and operating under Swiss
regulator, but polar types: large & small, regional & national etc.)
• Sample size: seven banks; true names cannot be revealed
• Semi-structured interviews with innovation champions
• Interview duration: appr. 1.5 hours
• Data collection period: Mar– Sep 2014
• Data triangulation with secondary data from Web, newspapers, publications
• Cross-case analysis

8. Cross-Case Analysis Among Swiss Banks:
Results Overview
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014 8
Bank Pontos Crius Zelos Phanes Matton Rhapso Cranaus
Founding era
1900-
1950
1850-
1900
1850-
1900
1850-
1900
1900-
1950
1850-
1900
1850-
1900
Employees (in thd.) >1 <5 >5 >1 <5 <1 <1 <1 >1 <5
National/Regional N N R R R R N
Importance of
innovation culture
High High Avg. Avg. Low Low Low
Innovation Dept. Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Sources used for ideation
Academia x x x
Clients x
Competitors x x x x x x x
Consultants x x x x x
Innovation Agency
Conferences x x x x x x
IT-Suppliers x x x x x

9. A Verbatim on Innovation Culture
«Do you have an Innovation Culture?»
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014 9
Zelos
“Yes [, innovation has become more important] and no, there is no
explicit culture of innovation that can be felt by the employees.
Therefore no, there is no real culture that fosters innovation, one
that promotes error. It’s a culture of fear and it is important not to
fail.”

10. Verbatims on Open Innovation
«Do you apply Open Innovation?»
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014 10
Phanes
“I never heard of it [open innovation] before. The themes we
would need feedback on are so technical; it's a bit difficult for the
banking world. […] I do not think a bank could motivate many
people to participate [in open innovation] and […] I do not see
which kind of idea we could run on an open innovation platform.”
Rhapso
“I do not think banks are ready for open innovation. It's a trend but
is it effective?”

11. Verbatims on Openness
«Do you involve your clients for innovation?»
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014 11
Crius
“No. Innovations will appear on the market. The market is
therefore our source of innovation. Factors are the innovation
needs of customers but they change little. In most cases, this is not
really the customer that says I need it, it is rather the bank offers.”
Matton
“Open Innovation, I share [new ideas] with my colleagues from
other banks, we see each other at least two times per year. The
idea is not to reinvent the wheel if it has already been done
elsewhere.”

12. Framework of the Hurdles to
Innovation in Banking
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014 12
Open Innovation
Organizational Culture
Lack of
•Encouragement to grow innovation capacity
•Risk tolerance
•Support for personal growth and development
Innovation Management Techniques
Lack of
•Knowledge breadth (nescience of open innovation)
•Knowledge depth (effectiveness of open innovation)
Openness
Lack of
•Source breadth (not including clients)
•Source depth (seldom approaching external sources)
Existence of industry peer networks
Smallness of the organization Absence of dedicated innovation team
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13. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION –
QUESTIONS?
ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL Dec. 2014 13

14. CONTACT DETAILS
14Dec. 2014ISPIM 2014 | PATRICK SCHUEFFEL
Dr. Patrick Schueffel
Professor
Institute of Finance
School of Management
Ch. du Musée 4
CH-1700 Fribourg
Switzerland
patrick.schueffel@hefr.ch