In constantly changing market, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) highly rank importance of collaboration through the entire value network. Due to their size and to limitations they face, the problem of harmonization of their business processes with research and development is particularly emphasized, especially in terms of necessity of using both internal and external resources. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of value networks participants' collaboration to Open Innovation (OI). SMEs, especially the ones from the manufacturing sector, came to realize that rigid market demands and new technologies go beyond individual companies. Thus, innovation companies are forced to share ideas and resources with other participants in complex value networks where research, development and production are treated as open system. The paper presents authors' initial findings, which are the basis for further research planned for first-author's PhD dissertation. Keywords: open innovation, manufacturing, SMEs, collaboration, value network