INOVAÇÃO NAS EMPRESAS DE SERVIÇOS: ANÁLISE DO INQUÉRITO COMUNITÁRIO À INOVAÇÃO

O principal objetivo deste estudo é fazer uma análise evolutiva do Community Innovation Survey (CIS) 2014 e CIS 2018, entender o papel dos inquéritos europeus de inovação na medição da capacidade de inovação nos serviços, com base na análise dos dados europeus, e compreender em que medida as pesquisas europeias refletiram na dinâmica subjacente ao desenvolvimento das teorias económicas. Metodologicamente, este estudo propõem-se duas análises complementares: a análise teórica realizada através de pesquisa bibliográfica sobre a evolução dos inquéritos europeus e a análise empírica que tem o enfoque nos resultados obtidos dos últimos levantamentos europeus de seis quadros de atividades de inovação das empresas de serviços por atividade económica, número de pessoas ao serviço e obstáculos à inovação. Os resultados mostram que a interação entre elementos não tecnológicos e tecnológicos tem sido cada vez mais reconhecida, porém, o tratamento da inovação tecnológica e não tecnológica nos inquéritos europeus ainda é desigual.

Intangible assets as possible indicators for the growth of the Hungarian firms

Purpose Intellectual capital has become one of the most important factors in the knowledge economy. It is the combination of human capital and structural capital. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of intellectual capital, especially the effect of structural capital on the productivity of Hungarian firms between 2007 and 2017. Design/methodology/approach This paper analyzes the impact of intellectual capital on the output of the Hungarian firms in a fixed effect dynamic model, using the lagged dependent and explanatory variables method. This study is based on annual reports of Hungarian enterprises. Findings This study proved that intellectual capital was a relevant source of the effectiveness of the firms in Hungarian industry in the examined period, and structural capital had the strongest impact on productivity of the firms. Research limitations/implications The annual report as database nonetheless bears the specificity and the limitation of the model alike. Labor costs, the proxy for human capital can measure the level only indirectly. Intangible assets, the proxy for structural capital contain more items which are optional. Practical implications The results reflect that the internally developed knowledge became the most relevant source for Hungarian firms to increase their productivity, but externally generated innovation may offer further possible sources to boost their own efficiency. Originality/value Unlike the previous empirical research in Hungary the source of variables in this model is based on the data of annual reports. This database allows to examine a larger panel investigation for a longer period than those methods which collect data on a voluntary basis, e.g. Community Innovation Survey.

Linking corporate social responsibility, cooperation and innovation: the triple bottom line perspective

PurposeDrawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and knowledge-based view (KBV) theories, this study contributes to deepen the knowledge that corporate social responsibility (CSR) exerts on firms' innovation, considering the role played by cooperation. The research also seeks to ascertain the factors that influence the development of business cooperation.Design/methodology/approachThe database used is the Community Innovation Survey (CIS, 2014) applied in the European Union (EU) during the time period 2012–2014. A sample of 7083 Portuguese firms were analyzed through the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results suggest that CSR positively relates with firms' innovation, and business cooperation partially mediates this relationship. The outcomes also reveal that investing in certain types of innovation activities increases the firms' willingness to cooperate.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to encourage an open innovation strategy as an easy and effective way to cope with rapid trends and changes, since it demonstrates the complementary between innovation and cooperation, as sources of value creation. From a triple bottom line (TBL) perspective, it also highlights that CSR must include social, economic and environmental initiatives, and should be a part of the firms' innovation strategy. As a result, managers who intend to contribute for society in the long term should plan, monitor and manage all CSR dimensions.

Cooperation for innovation: more is not necessarily merrier

PurposeEmbracing a large set of innovation objectives and collaborating with diverse partners have been promoted as a means to improve innovation performance. However, empirical evidence on the relationships between breadth of objectives, breadth of cooperation and innovation performance is limited, particularly in the context of emerging economies. A larger number of objectives and cooperation partners inevitably increases the complexity in organizational alignment, and cooperation eventually leads to diminishing returns. This study adds to the debate on the costs and benefits of cooperation for innovation. Understanding the optimal levels of the breadth of objectives and cooperation supports managerial decision-making and productivity in the practice of cooperation for innovation.Design/methodology/approachOperationalizing breadth of innovation objectives and cooperation via the Turkish Community Innovation Survey data, self-reports reflecting 5,863 firm-level responses between 2006 and 2008 are analysed using tobit and probit models. The maximum likelihood estimator is used to find the optimal levels for breadth of objectives and cooperation.FindingsFirms with greater breadth of innovation objectives experience higher innovation performance; those with greater breadth of cooperation also experience higher innovation performance, but our results indicate the existence of optimal levels of breadth for both innovation objectives and cooperation.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors extend the logic that there is no safety in numbers in cooperation for innovation. If the aim is to enhance innovation performance, managers and policymakers need to pay attention to the number of innovation objectives and the amount of cooperation pursued by firms. However, innovation success may be closely associated with a firm's dynamic capabilities and ability to mobilize its resources. Drawing on organizational learning theories, future research could explore why a lower than maximum level of cooperation may be more conducive to reaching levels of enhanced innovation performance and whether this level is influenced by cognitive processes.Originality/valueThe authors draw attention to the ideal number of innovation objectives and number of cooperating partners required to enhance innovation performance, thus contributing to the debate on the complex relationships between innovation, performance and cooperation in the unique setting of a large developing economy.

Blending Innovation Types in Order to Achieve International Competitiveness. Multi-country Approach

The relationship between innovation and international competitiveness is the subject of many research studies. The aim of the paper is to examine the association between the introduction of product innovation individually and in pairs with process and marketing innovation and the exporting of enterprises from 13 European Union countries, mainly from Central and Eastern Europe. The study used anonymized micro data from the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) for 2012-2014. Based on the sample of 98 809 enterprises, 14 models were built using path analysis with the Bonferroni correction, one for the whole sample and 13 for each of the country studied. The analysis indicates positive link between the introduction of product innovation on sales activity on foreign markets of the enterprises of the surveyed countries (measured by exporting), but only for Germany and Spain. Surprisingly, adding process or marketing innovation to product innovation in most of the cases has an adverse effect on exporting.

Influence of organisational innovation and innovation in general on eco-innovation in European companies

PurposeThis research focuses on establishing relationships between eco-innovation and organisational innovation and innovation in general to characterise organisational eco-innovation in European Union companies. We also aim to investigate the forms of innovations that eco-innovative companies use as well as the factors or determinants of eco-innovation in the corporate environment that impel the use of organisational innovation.Design/methodology/approachWe use the estimation of different binary logistic regression models with maximum likelihood applied to a sample obtained from the Eurostat's Community Innovation Survey 2014 database as a starting point.FindingsThe results suggest that the type of organisational innovation most closely related to eco-innovation is found in work responsibility and decision-making methods. Some less frequently studied significant factors are highlighted, such as training or aspects related to intellectual capital and knowledge management, since significant indications of the importance and acquisition of existing know-how have appeared, in contrast to internal knowledge generation.Originality/valueThe study seeks to observe what specific quantitative drivers (external or internal) are used for organisational eco-innovation, as a specific subtype of eco-innovation. This can improve our understanding of the ways in which organisational innovation can be used by corporations to provide environmental benefits. The academic literature provides information on the drivers and determinants for both organisational innovation and eco-innovation separately, but we believe this article offers a new approach by looking at the specific eco-innovation drivers achieved through organisational innovation.

Innovation intensity and skills in firms across five European countries

This study attempts to establish the importance of specific formally achieved higher skills for the innovation intensity in firms across a group of European countries. Innovation expenditures are calculated as the ratio to turnover and the main explanatory variable is the proportion of highly skilled employees (tertiary education in ICT-oriented or other fields). The analysis employs official data on innovation activities (Community Innovation Survey) in firms for the period 2004–2010, linked to registers on education and businesses as well as to the Structural Business Statistics including 34,000 observations. Estimation results show a strong significantly positive relationship between the innovation intensity and the proportion of highly ICT skilled employees. Higher skills outside the field of ICT are also important for the innovation activities. Control variables reveal that the innovation intensity significantly increases with joint national and EU funding while the role of firm age varies. The significant and negative link to firm size reveals a lack of advantages of scale, a finding possibly related to the use of a comprehensive measure of innovation activities. There are also indications that industry affiliation is essential for the innovation intensity.

Frank Knight, uncertainty and knowledge spillover entrepreneurship

In his seminal 1921 book, Risk, Uncertainty, and Profit, Frank Knight distinguished uncertainty and risk. This paper applies Knight's concept of uncertainty to knowledge generated in incumbent organizations to explain the inherent difficulty in assessing potential innovations along with the key role played by knowledge spillover entrepreneurship as a conduit for transforming new knowledge created by an incumbent organization but ultimately commercialized through the creation of a new firm and innovation. Knowledge is inherently uncertain and constitutes what is characterized as the knowledge filter impeding innovative activity in the context of incumbent firms and organizations. The organizational and institutional context and market uncertainty can either facilitate or impede the spillover of knowledge from the firm where it was created to the entrepreneurial startup where it is transformed into innovation. The empirical evidence based on a large, unbalanced panel of 9,126 UK firms constructed from six consecutive waves of a community innovation survey and annual business registry survey during 2002–2014. Implications for managers, scholars, and policymakers are provided.

Product and service innovation in Portugal: patterns and specificities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the innovative scenario in Portugal, assess the patterns of goods and service change in the past decade and evaluate several essential characteristics from innovation and its relevant aspects. Design/methodology/approach This research is a case study with secondary data obtained from the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) in which it is applied to the constant comparative method of data analysis proposed by Spiggle (1994). Findings The innovation of products and services in Portugal increased over the entire period analyzed although not linear, the financing programs contributed to the recovery and growth of innovation and small companies presented the most significant increase in product innovation. Research limitations/implications This investigation has limitations related to the data collected because the secondary data analyzed generalize the indicators and make it impossible to comprehend each aspect analyzed in this study in detail. This study also pointed out that Portuguese small- and medium-sized enterprises are more easily able to innovate in times of difficulty when compared to large companies. However, it is necessary to understand this phenomenon and present elements that can support or refute this discovery. Practical implications This paper offers a broad view of product and service innovation in Portugal for companies, entrepreneurs, universities and researchers, in addition to facilitating the creation and structuring of policies, research and financing that can develop innovation processes. Social implications By presenting a macro view of product and service innovation, this paper may facilitate the creation of incentives for innovation in Portugal and, consequently, to improve economic and development indicators. Originality/value This paper is unique in showing the patterns of innovation in the product and service in Portugal over almost a decade and in demonstrating important indicators that can be used in future research.

The Effect of External Knowledge Sources on Organizational Innovation in Small and Medium Enterprises in Germany

Background: Firms increasingly depend on external actors for the process of generating innovation. Interaction with these actors might occur through an official collaboration agreement or via external actors as the source of information. Objectives: Although open innovation has received more attention, still less is known about its effect on organizational innovation. To fill this gap, this study investigates the impact of various external knowledge sources on the willingness of small and mediumsized enterprises to introduce organizational innovation. Methods/Approach: To achieve the proposed objective, the German Community Innovation Survey conducted in 2017 is used for the econometric analysis. Results: Different external sources of knowledge are relevant for the introduction of organizational innovation in small firms (customers in the private sector, competitors, conferences, and crowdsourcing) compared to medium-sized firms (customers in the private sector and industry associations). Conclusions: External knowledge sources are more important for small firms compared to medium firms, and those small firms are more likely to use various sets of external knowledge.