The dynamics of regional collaborations on firms’ ability to innovate: a business innovation modes approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Henar Alcalde-Heras ◽  
Mercedes Oleaga ◽  
Eduardo Sisti
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Innovation Systems ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Innovation ◽  
Innovation Modes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Novel Products

Purpose The literature stresses the importance of collaboration patterns and the role of public funding in regional competitiveness. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of this subject by focusing on two key dynamics of technological cooperation. First, the authors focus on the ability of public funding to support regional technological demand through the promotion of science and technology-based innovation (STI) and innovation based on learning-by-doing, learning-by-using, learning-by-interacting (DUI) cooperation. Second, the authors investigate whether such cooperation patterns influence the companies’ ability to support the development of novel products through the effective transfer of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach The data used in this longitudinal study are taken from the Basque statistics agency’s (EUSTAT) technological innovation survey, which compiles activities, personnel, funding sources, support institutions and other innovation-related aspects of businesses in the Basque region. The survey was carried out following the methodology of the community innovation survey (CIS). CIS data are used to generate official innovation statistics for the EU and its member countries and have been used extensively for analysis in economics. The sample included an unbalanced panel of 17,431 companies that reported research and development expenditure for the period 2013‐2017. Findings The results of the analysis confirm that the relationship between STI cooperation and regional funding is positive (Piñeiro-Antelo and Lois-González, 2019), but regional DUI cooperation will have a greater impact than STI cooperation on a company’s ability to generate novel products. The authors can, therefore, say that public funding is successful at supporting cooperation between science and technology agents and firms but fails to promote the transfer of knowledge and subsequent development of novel products in companies in the region. Practical implications Following a quadruple helix approach, it is important to underline the need for public policies to strengthen the connections between all the key agents in the ecosystem (where the research community, industry, public sector and citizens are all active actors), promoting technology transfer and dissemination, as well as trust among the parties, absorptive capacity and business access to resources and financing. Thus, the design of public policies should be oriented to support a firm’s innovation, balancing the exploration and exploitation of STI and DUI regional cooperation. Originality/value The contribution of this research is threefold. First, it serves to emphasize the importance of the impact of regional innovation systems on business innovation modes and their performance. Second, it takes the study of innovation systems and their impact on companies a step further by examining the impact of public funding on the companies’ ability to explore and exploit regional innovation modes. Thirdly, the authors offer a dynamic view of the region’s ability to support its own demand for technology and study the impact of regional business modes on the firms’ ability to support novel products.

Are all innovation modes beneficial to firms’ innovation performance? New findings from an emerging market

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1015-1034
Author(s):  
Shilei Hu ◽  
Xiaohong Wang ◽  
Ben Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Market ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
It Infrastructure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Innovation ◽  
Innovation Modes ◽  
It Usage ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to examine the influence of individual and combined effects of the mode focused on scientific and technological-based innovation (STI) and the mode based on learning by doing, by using and by interacting (DUI) on firms’ innovation performance and whether information technology (IT) moderates the relation between different innovation modes and firms’ innovation performance. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model linking innovation modes, IT (including IT infrastructure and the frequency of IT usage) and firms’ innovation performance was developed, and the proposed hypotheses were tested empirically using World Bank’s micro survey data collected from manufacturing firms in an emerging market (China). Findings The results show that individually both STI mode of innovation and DUI mode of innovation have a significant positive effect on firms’ innovative performance, whereas the combined STI and DUI mode of innovation has a negative impact. IT infrastructure moderates the relation between STI (or STI and DUI) mode of innovation and firms’ innovation performance, while the frequency of IT usage has no moderating effects on the relationship between any kind of innovation modes and firms’ innovation performance. Research limitations/implications Although some results are quite different from what is expected, these are insightful for both academics and policymakers. The use of cross-sectional data has its limitations. Therefore, future studies based on longitudinal data should be conducted. This study points toward the need to conduct the meta-analysis to better explain the existing inconsistencies in the findings of relevant quantitative studies. Practical implications This study provides firm managers with practical implications. The conclusions of this study imply that the impact of the combined STI and DUI mode of innovation is likely to be contextual, so firms should make contingent decisions on whether to engage in STI mode of innovation and DUI mode of innovation simultaneously according to their own organizational conditions. Moreover, face-to-face contacts are particularly important when a firm engages in DUI mode of innovation. In addition, the focus of IT strategy of firms engaged in STI mode of innovation should be on perfecting their IT infrastructure rather than increasing the frequency of IT usage. Originality/value This paper provides new evidence for the relation between business innovation modes and firms’ innovation performance, and it is one of the few empirical studies that focus on emerging markets. More importantly, this paper proposes a persuasive explanation framework for understanding the heterogeneous impacts of the combined STI and DUI mode of innovation on firms’ innovation performance. This is the first study that examines the moderating effect of IT on the relationship between business innovation modes and a firm’s innovation performance.

Does cooperative membership impact the yield and efficiency of smallholder farmers? Evidence from potato farmers in Mongolia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Ahado ◽  
Jiří Hejkrlík ◽  
Anudari Enkhtur ◽  
Tserendavaa Tseren ◽  
Tomáš Ratinger
Keyword(s):  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Farm Work ◽  
Agricultural Cooperative ◽  
Education Participation ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of agricultural cooperative membership on potato production and technical efficiency.Design/methodology/approachA combination of propensity score matching technique and sample selection stochastic frontier framework that addresses potential selection bias due to observable and unobservable attributes is used to estimate the effect of participation between cooperative members and non-members. Using a stochastic meta-frontier approach, the technical efficiency of farmers was estimated and compared.FindingsThe empirical results show that the effect of participation in agricultural cooperatives is associated with increased yield and technical efficiency. A comparison of group-specific frontiers indicates that cooperative members perform better than non-members. Cooperative membership decisions is significantly associated with household and farm characteristics (e.g. education, participation in off-farm work, total farmland, distance to market and geographic location).Practical implicationsThe findings of this study demonstrate that cooperative organisations can be an important tool to enhance the productivity and efficiency of smallholder farmers. Successful cooperative models together with training programs designed to enlighten farmers on the importance and tangible benefits of collective action should be used to enlarge participation in cooperative organisations. In addition, governments and development agencies should implement targeted investment and capacity building programs related to irrigation management, gender-sensitive awareness and development of the internal institutional mechanisms in cooperatives for the transfer of knowledge and mutual learning so that all members benefit from cooperatives.Originality/valueDespite the pervasive evidence of the impact of cooperatives on productivity and technical efficiency in the Asian region, this study is probably the first attempt in the crop sector in Mongolia. It provides a rigorous empirical analysis of the impact of agricultural cooperative membership on potato production and technical efficiency through a counterfactual design.

Evaluating impact of entrepreneurship education programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (7/8) ◽  
pp. 781-796
Author(s):  
Seyedeh Khatereh Daneshjoovash ◽  
Mirza Hassan Hosseini
Keyword(s):  
Direct Effect ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Entrepreneurship Education ◽  
Simple Random Sampling ◽  
Applied Science ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of Entrepreneurship Education Programs (EEPs) from students’ and educators’ viewpoint to improve the quality of EEPs. Design/methodology/approach This research applies a qualitative-quantitative methodology. Its sample is included 291 students were selected randomly and 35 educators were chosen by convenience technique from universities of Applied Science and Technology of Iran. Findings The results revealed that essence of EEPs had a positive direct effect on objectives and content of EEPs; objectives and content of EEPs had a positive direct effect on methods of EEPs; essence of EEPs had a positive direct effect on impact of EEPs; and essence of EEPs had a positive indirect effect on methods through objectives and content based on students’ and educators’ perspective. Moreover, as opposed to educators’, students believed that methods of EEPs have not a positive direct effect on impact, while educators were opponent to students approach about the positive direct effect of essence of EEPs on methods. Research limitations/implications The study was limited to Applied Science and Technology universities were selected by convenience sampling method. Similar studies in other universities are needed to be conducted by simple random sampling to evaluate EEPs. Practical implications The study recommends policy-makers to be aware of students’ needs of EEPs’ methods, as well inform educators about effective and initiative methods. Originality/value Evaluating impact of EEPs based on demand and supply-side viewpoint is the first study conducted in Applied Science and Technology universities of Iran.

An agent-based model for exploring the impacts of reciprocal trust on knowledge transfer within an organization

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Li ◽  
Changhong Li ◽  
Zhan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Organizational Structure ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Transfer Behavior ◽  
Motivation To Transfer ◽  
Effective Transfer ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The effective transfer of knowledge within an organization is critical for its sustainable competitive advantage. Based on the norm of reciprocity, it can be concluded that individuals’ primary motivation to transfer their treasured knowledge can be summarized as “trust,” that is, the individuals trust their selfless transfer behavior can be reciprocated by the recipients in the future. Design/methodology/approach In this study, a simulation model based on knowledge transfer behavior and reciprocal trust between individuals is built through agent-based modeling and simulation to investigate the factors that influence the efficiency of knowledge transfer within an organization. Findings Experiments are performed to test the impact of reciprocal trust and organizational structure on the efficiency of knowledge transfer. Originality/value The results indicate a significant role of key elements of reciprocal trust and organizational structure, which provides relevant practical guidance for both individuals and organization managers in the context of knowledge transfer.

The regional-innovation cluster policy for R&D efficiency and the creative economy

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donghun Yoon
Keyword(s):  
Technology Policy ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Innovation System ◽  
Science And Technology Policy ◽  
Creative Economy ◽  
System Construction ◽  
Cluster Policy ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Innovation Cluster

Purpose This paper aims to discuss and present the regional-innovation cluster policy for R&D efficiency and the creative economy. In particular, the R&D efficiency and creative economy of Daedeok Innopolis are discussed for the science and technology policy of the R&D regional-innovation cluster. In this research, the region cluster policy change, the creative innovation system construction, the manpower system construction and the support unification for R&D and commercialization are presented as policy proposals for R&D efficiency and the creative economy. Design/methodology/approach In this research, the universities, research institutes and enterprises of Daedeok Innopolis were studied. Thirty people from the universities in the area, 30 from the research institutes and 30 from the enterprises were surveyed through the quota sampling of the non-probability sampling method for this research. These survey respondents were science and technology policy specialists for the R&D, industrialization and entrepreneurial activities of Daedeok Innopolis. The methodological material is a questionnaire. The study’s investigation factors were the government’s role, knowledge creation and the network. Also, F-test, ANOVA and chi-square independence test were utilized for the survey data analysis. Findings Regional-innovation cluster construction is a representative method of realizing regional development and competition enhancement. This research was found through the analysis that the government policy is very useful for innovation ecosystem development. The knowledge capability has been enhanced in connection with knowledge creation. Also, the network has been vitalized. New-dimension industry–university–institute collaboration and a human resource management system are needed for R&D efficiency and the creative economy. Daedeok Innopolis needs consistent support for industrialization and foundation. Social implications Movement of and cooperation among humans, goods, knowledge, technologies, etc., occur in many areas (science, the economy, culture, arts, etc.) because of the compression of time and space through informatization and globalization. This has brought about changes in cross-border, regional and national relations and has stimulated competition in the aforementioned areas. To date, a state-dominated system has been operated to deal with these changes, but it has been shown to be inefficient because it cannot reflect the conditions in the region and does not allow quick reaction. The advantages of the region must be identified and utilized to boost the survival and development of the region. Regional-innovation cluster construction is a representative method of realizing regional development and competition enhancement. Originality/value The innovative feature of the study is proposed the science and technology policy (the region cluster policy change, the creative innovation system construction, the manpower system construction and the support unification for R&D and commercialization) for the R&D regional-innovation cluster through the survey data analysis. In this paper, the R&D efficiency and the creative economy of Daedeok Innopolis are discussed for the science and technology policy of the R&D regional-innovation cluster. The science and technology policy for the R&D regional-innovation cluster development is examined for the first time in this paper. This research is expected to make a significant contribution to the establishment of a development strategy for the regional-innovation cluster, and to the decision-making regarding the science and technology policy.

Digital transformation of regional industries through asset modification

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Isaksen ◽  
Michaela Trippl ◽  
Nina Kyllingstad ◽  
Jan Ole Rypestøl
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Innovation Systems ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Regional Innovation Systems ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Digital Products ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scientific Principles ◽  
Transformation Processes

Purpose This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework for analysing wide-ranging digital transformation processes of industries in regional contexts. Design/methodology/approach The paper includes theoretical work to create a conceptual framework. The paper illustrates and advances the framework by analysing examples from two clusters, one focused on the production of digital products and services and one centred on applying digital tools to make firms’ existing activities more efficient. Findings The paper distinguishes between three main and interlinked categories of digitalisation; development of scientific principles that form the basis for developing digital technologies; making of digital products and services; and application of these in production and work processes. Digital transformation of industries located in particular regions relate to changes of (regional) innovation systems. The authors interpret this as processes of asset modification, distinguishing between re-use of existing assets, creation of new assets and (strategic) destruction of outdated assets. Digital transformation may lead to various forms of innovation and path development activities in regional economies. Practical implications The paper highlights the importance of modification of assets in organisations and at the level of regional innovation systems to support digitalisation. Organisations need to build absorptive capacity for digitalisation. Regional innovation systems face the challenge to build relevant common assets. Originality/value The paper advocates a comprehensive framework to better understand how digital transformation unfolds. It challenges established economic geography approaches, which propagate firm-based views and centre stage skill and technological relatedness. An alternative conceptual framework for scrutinising digital transformation processes in industries in regional contexts is presented.

scholarly journals Creativity and innovation in science and technology

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yashwantrao Ramma ◽  
Martin Samy ◽  
Ajit Gopee
Keyword(s):  
Technology Education ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Science And Technology Education ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Creativity And Innovation

Purpose – This paper stems from a study which was conducted as a means to first, find out whether there is a gap between the secondary and tertiary education levels, second identify any existing gap in Science and Technology education, and third, examine the impact of the above upon students’ creativity and innovativeness at university level. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – As such, a group of teachers and students at both secondary and tertiary levels were selected as the sample of the study. Questionnaires were administered to trained secondary school teachers and to university students. Interviews were also conducted to triangulate data. These enabled an analysis of the current situation in terms of students’ engagement/creativity/innovativeness in Science and Technology at secondary and tertiary levels. Findings – The findings reveal a problematic situation arising with respect to beliefs and what truly prevails in the education sector at secondary and tertiary levels. This study has revealed a number of salient issues related to the gap existing between the secondary and tertiary levels of education in Mauritius, with special bearing on creativity and innovation in Science and Technology. Research limitations/implications – Only three institutions were involved, with a small sample of students, so that the findings cannot be generalised. Moreover, gender is a variable that has not been taken into consideration. Practical implications – The study has proposed a number of recommendations to enable Mauritian students (at secondary and tertiary levels) to develop creativity and hopefully become innovators. This leads us to believe that the recommendations emerging from this study will be beneficial to various stakeholders who wish to understand the gap existing between secondary and tertiary education in Science and Technology education. Originality/value – This study takes a case study approach adopting a mixture of interviews, surveys and observations to understand the research problems with regards to the younger generations need to be equipped with scientific and technological advances in acquiring knowledge, new sets of skills and values. Therefore, this study endeavours to document the perceptions of learners and faculty staff.

scholarly journals Approach to the analysis and comparison of national innovation systems on the example of Russia and other countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 434-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Yu. Afanasiev ◽  
M. A. Lysenkova
Keyword(s):  
Innovation System ◽  
Innovation Systems ◽  
Innovation Activity ◽  
Econometric Modeling ◽  
Regional Innovation Systems ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Country Comparison ◽  
China And Japan ◽  
Innovation Space ◽  
The Impact

Currently, there is a tendency to evaluate the innovation system at the national level. Qualitative inter-country comparison requires quantitative and qualitative assessment of the factors influencing the innovation activity of the region. The purpose of this work was to justify quantitatively the impact of science and business on the innovation activity of the region. International patent applications are selected as an indicator reflecting the result of innovation activity in the region. Statistical hypothesis testing is carried out in this paper. The dependence between the results of innovation activity and innovation space of the region is confirmed by the methods of econometric modeling. The innovation space of the region is described in the work as a set of potential links between business and organizations that create new knowledge. The study used the official statistics of the regions of such countries as Russia, Switzerland, USA, China and Japan. Estimates of parameters of national and regional innovation systems of the Russian Federation, Switzerland, the USA, China and Japan are received by methods of econometric modeling. It is shown that the assessment of elasticity and technical efficiency of the innovation space of the region indicate the development of the innovation system. In the considered time range it is established that the Pareto-optimality property is possessed by the parameters of innovation systems of Japan, China and Switzerland. Estimates of the technical efficiency of the innovation space for a total of 190 regions according to 2012, a comparative analysis of the countries on the basis of the estimates. The paper provides a rationale for the use of parametric descriptions of national and regional innovation systems. This description can be used for cross-country comparison of the impact of science and business on the results of innovation activity, clustering of national innovation systems.

scholarly journals Fostering Czech firms? innovation performance through efficient cooperation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-700
Author(s):  
Viktor Prokop ◽  
Michaela Kotkova Striteska ◽  
Jan Stejskal
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Innovation Systems ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Innovation Activities ◽  
The Impact

Research background: The business climate development and the stage of innovation systems? transformation are very similar in many Central and Eastern European countries, making it necessary to study these specific economies. These economies are at a different level of transformation, and their governments are trying to support the development of a knowledge-based economy, the creation of innovation systems, and collaboration among different types of entities. These governments need feedback in the form of research into the impacts of public funding on innovation activities through the influence of basic research and cooperation-based resources in individual countries. Purpose of the article: This paper focuses on the examination of (i) the influence of national and European subsidies on innovation performance in manufacturing firms in the Czech Republic and (ii) impacts of knowledge- and cooperation-based resources on innovation activities in Czech manufacturing. Methods: The latest available data from the Community Innovation Survey was used for analyses realized by different regression models. The proposed research models were gradually created to verify the influence of pro-innovation factors (expenditures on in-house and external R&D and on the acquisition of external tangible and intangible sources, cooperation with different partners and innovation) and public (national and/or European) funding of firms? innovation performance within the Czech manufacturing industry. Findings and value added: The results have showed that there is a need to focus on direct and indirect effects of selected innovation determinants; we have also identified the crucial role of cooperation (specifically with government, public, or private research institutes) as a mediating variable within innovation processes. The results have also evidenced that public funding affects the efficiency of knowledge- and cooperation-based resources and amplifies the impact on firms? innovation performance differently. Whereas subsidies from national budgets do not significantly influence the innovation performance of Czech manufacturing firms, European subsidies, on the other hand, significantly increase firms? innovation performance. A long-term contribution of this paper is the significant completion of the theory of policy implications that may be applicable in a broad international context beyond the borders of the Czech Republic. This study significantly contributes to the ongoing discussion about (i) the significance of public financial subsidies from both national and European funds and (ii) the effects of cooperation and R&D on firms? innovation performance within ?catching-up? in Central and Eastern Europe. 

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