The Role of Knowledge Spillovers for Firm-Level Innovation in Environmental Technologies

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 (1) ◽  
pp. 12943
Author(s):  
Joern Hoppmann
2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joern Hoppmann

Knowledge spillovers play a potentially important role for innovation and competitive dynamics in mass-produced environmental technologies. Currently, however, we lack research that studies knowledge spillovers in such technologies at the firm level. To address this shortcoming, in this article we investigate the drivers of technological innovation in the solar photovoltaic industry. We find clear evidence for the existence of interfirm knowledge spillovers and show that besides investments in R&D, investments in manufacturing equipment have served as a channel of knowledge absorption. Our findings shed new light on the narrative linking environmental innovation and competitive advantage. Moreover, by pointing to the role of process technology as a means of assimilating and exploiting external knowledge, we highlight an important but frequently neglected channel of absorptive capacity.


Author(s):  
Anthony Howell

Abstract This paper examines the effect of agglomeration economies on firm productivity and the role of absorptive capacity in China. Taking into account the transitioning economy context, I further exploit the gradual and spatially uneven implementation of market-oriented reforms to track the relative importance of firms’ absorptive capacity for economic catch-up. The three main results are as follows. First, firms exhibit higher productivity when located in an area with a denser network of related activities, particularly for firms with higher absorptive capacity. Second, the sources of the productivity gains are driven by externalities that arise from better access to inputs, similar workers and technological-related knowledge spillovers. Third, the role of absorptive capacity becomes more important for boosting productivity following more versus less intensive market-oriented economic reforms. These findings have important policy implications for transitioning economies and suggest that market reforms promote efficiency improvements related to performing actual R&D as well as encourage firms to seek out external sources of knowledge in order to attain market competitiveness.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
Concetto Paolo Vinci ◽  
Luigi Aldieri

In this paper we investigate agricultural innovation in three economic areas: the USA, Japan and Europe, taking into account simultaneously both the spatial and technological dimensions.In particular, we introduce a theoretical framework and an empirical analysis based upon a dataset composed of worldwide R&D-intensive firms to discuss the role of spillover components in the waste management efficiency at firm level. The technological relatedness between the firms is computed through an original Mahalanobis Environmental industry weight matrix, based on the construction of technological vectors for each firm. Methodologically, from one hand, we explore the extent to which knowledge spillovers are important through spatial analysis procedure and from the other hand, we measure the effects of technology spillovers on firms’ productivity through econometric methods to handle heterogeneity and endogenous explanatory variables. The findings show a positive impact of Jacobian R&D spillovers on firms’ productivity and environmental performance and this result can be relevant repercussions in terms of policy implications.


2021 ◽  
pp. 147612702110048
Author(s):  
J Daniel Zyung ◽  
Wei Shi

This study proposes that chief executive officers who have received over their tenure a greater sum of total compensation relative to the market’s going rate become overconfident. We posit that this happens because historically overpaid chief executive officers perceive greater self-worth to the firm whereby such self-serving attribution inflates their level of self-confidence. We also identify chief executive officer- and firm-level cues that can influence the relationship between chief executive officers’ historical relative pay and their overconfidence, suggesting that chief executive officers’ perceived self-worth is more pronounced when chief executive officers possess less power and when their firm’s performance has improved upon their historical aspirations. Using a sample of 1185 firms and their chief executive officers during the years 2000–2016, we find empirical support for our predictions. Findings from this study contribute to strategic leadership research by highlighting the important role of executives’ compensation in creating overconfidence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (9) ◽  
pp. 2414-2435
Author(s):  
Wenge Zhang ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Yiyuan Mai

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between industry association membership and firm innovation in Chinese private ventures. A secondary objective is to investigate potential moderating effects of firm learning practices and founder characteristics on the above relationship, and to draw out implications for policymakers and practitioners. Design/methodology/approach The paper utilizes data from a sample of 567 Chinese entrepreneurial firms operating in 9 designated emerging industries. Hierarchical regression models were employed to analyze the effect of industry association membership on firm innovation, and the potential moderating effects. A 2SLS procedure was adopted to control for potential endogeneity issue. Supplemental analyses were conducted to ensure the robustness of the findings. Findings The paper provides empirical insights about how industry association membership, along with firm learning practice and founder leadership, affect firm innovation in Chinese private ventures in emerging industries. It suggests that industry association membership positively affects firm innovation. Further, there is a three-way interaction effect of industry association membership, learning practice and founder power on innovation. Research limitations/implications Due to the design of the data set, there are some limitations. First, the study only considered whether a firm belongs to an industry association, but not the nature of such membership (length, firm status in the association, etc.). Second, the cross-sectional design may limit the power of the study to make casual implications about the tested relationships. Practical implications The paper provides important practical implications for policymakers and entrepreneurs in China. In general, the results suggest that private ventures pursuing innovation in emerging industries can benefit from industry associations, and entrepreneurs shall actively engage in firm-level and personal-level learning. For policymakers, the study suggests that to foster innovation in an emerging industry, special attention shall be paid to building necessary institutional support to develop and to strengthen the role of industry association in the industry. Originality/value This paper fulfills an important gap in the literature in that it is one of the first, which investigates the role of the industry association in firm innovation, especially in a non-western context. This paper provides new insights into the role of industry association and firm innovation in an under-researched developing economy context.


2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
GEOFFREY JONES ◽  
ANDREW SPADAFORA

Between the 1970s and the 2000s, Costa Rica became established as the world’s leading ecotourism destination. This article argues that although Costa Rica benefited from biodiversity and a pleasant climate, the country’s preeminence in ecotourism requires more than a natural resource endowment explanation. While previous literature has emphasized the efforts of the government and nongovernment organizations, this article demonstrates the critical role of small entrepreneurs in the co-creation of the industry. Making extensive use of oral history, the article explores the role of tour companies in drawing affluent Western ecotourists to the country, and of the creators of ecolodges and other forms of accommodation in providing them with somewhere to stay. Clustering created positive externalities, drawing new entrepreneurs into the industry who could also learn from knowledge spillovers. There were downsides to the new industry. The creation of the national image of a natural paradise enabled many businesses which were not environmentally sustainable to free ride on the green image.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Humberto García Jiménez

Resumen:El objetivo principal del presente estudio es analizar los fa c t o res de aprendizaje y de competencias involucrados en la selección, introducción y puesta en práctica de tecnologías ambientales en las empresas filiales electrónicas de Tijuana. La pregunta central que se pretende responder en esta investigación es: ¿De qué manera la evolución de competencias productivas de las filiales transnacionales condiciona la introducción y puesta en marcha de tecnologías ambientales? En virtud de que la industria maquiladora de exportación electrónica en Tijuana ha experimentado diferentes fases de evolución productiva, la hipótesis de este documento establece que la capacidad, habilidad y necesidad de incorporar tecnologías ambientales se encuentra asociada con el nivel de conocimiento manufacturero y el rol de la empresa filial dentro de su red corporativa. Este trabajo muestra algunos resultados del proyecto de investigación del mismo título, desarrollado entre los meses de enero y agosto de 1998. El estudio abarcó una muestra de 12 empresas, que fueron seleccionadas y clasificadas en tres momentos de evolución productiva a partir de los trabajos de Alonso y Carrillo (1996) y Contreras et al. (1996). El análisis de trayectorias productivas en relación con el medio ambiente identifica los factores principales involucrados en la selección, introducción y aplicación de tecnologías ambientales, con los cuales enriquecemos el contexto de decisiones productivas y ambientales propuestas por nuestro modelo hipotético.Palabras clave: Electrónica, Industria maquiladora, Tijuana, Tecnologías ambientales, Conocimiento manufacturero. Abstract:The main objective of this study is to analyze the learning and competency factors involved in the selection, introduction, and implementation of environmental technologies in electronic plants from Tijuana. The central question addressed is as follows: In which way do the evolution of productive competencies of the transnational companies affect the introduction and implementation of environmental technologies? Given the fact that the maquiladora industry of electronic exportation in Tijuana has experienced different faces of productive evolution, the hypothesis of this document is that the cap a city, skill, and need to incorporate environmental technologies are associated to manufacturing knowledge level and the role of the subsidiary within its corporate network . We show some findings as a part of the research projectlabeled as this essay, which was carried out from January to August 1998.The study encompassed a twelve-plants sampling, selected and classified in three stage of productive evolution following Alonso y Carrillo (1996) and Contreras et al. (1996) . The analysis of productive trajectories identifies the mains factors involved in selecting, introducing and implementing environmental technologies. This allow to enrich the context of productive and environmental decision making proposed by our hypotetical model.Key words: Electronics, Export-oriented industry, Tijuana, Environmental technologies, Manufacture knowledge.


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