Abstract
Both academics and managers are continuously asking to improve knowledge about the practice of open innovation, and invite researchers to include in their analysis traditional, low tech industries, which have been poorly investigated (Gassmann et al., 2010). While accepting this invitation, we focus our attention in a particular low tech industry - the food & drink industry (FDI) - that is in a transition phase because, although traditionally characterized by a low attitude towards OI, is recently opening its innovation processes, as a consequence of the evolution of the competitive context. Hence, a survey, involving 284 companies from three countries (UK, Italy and Spain) was developed. Results show that FDI can be outlined as a sector under increasing pressures to open. This is an important result, which adds to the current debate in the literature, which is still contrasting in understanding the role exerted by industry in the OI choices.