Does Your Organization Have the Not Invented Here Syndrome?

The not-invented-here syndrome (NIH) is a major psychological hurdle that can hinder open innovation efforts. This article explains the causes and consequences of NIH, including individual attitudes and decision-making biases. Organizational inertia and structural rigidities challenge the transfer and utilization of outside knowledge, and NIH is the most widely cited reason for rejected or underutilized knowledge in the context of innovation. NIH has two key features: boundaries that knowledge is required to bridge and an irrational devaluation or rejection of external knowledge by an individual. The article then outlines the eight different types of knowledge transfer and ways to measure and offset NIH. Ultimately, acknowledging that NIH exists, assessing its current impact, building explicit incentives to overcome NIH, and engaging outside people and organizations can lead to better decision-making and open innovation efforts.