Ever since General Electric GE +1.51% built the first industrial lab in 1900, research and development has been a highly secretive affair.  Security protocols have been regarded almost important as scientific ones to stay ahead of the competition.

More recently, Apple AAPL +0.08%, arguably the world’s most innovative company, has become renowned for keeping its cards close to the vest and even “don’t be evil” Google GOOG +1.26% has launched its own super-secret research center.

To read the original article: 4 Ways Open Innovation Can Drive Your Business Forward - Forbes