R&D collaborations: Is diversity enhancing innovation performance?

We develop a theoretical framework which builds on the existence of a feedback loop relationship between internal innovation efforts and the diversity of types of R&D collaborations. Such a feedback loop allows for decomposing the total effects of both internal and external knowledge sources on innovation performance in direct and indirect effects. We argue that such feedback loop lies in the heart of the interplay between the benefits and costs associated with generating knowledge internally and accessing knowledge from diverse external knowledge sources. In particular we argue that anticipated benefits from accessing knowledge from diverse external knowledge sources may be outweighed by (i) costs associated with accessing increasingly diverse knowledge through collaboration and (ii) a negative network effect on firms' internal innovation efforts. We employ Structural Equation Modelling on a bespoke dataset of Greek R&D active manufacturing firms; empirical results confirm the existence of an idiosyncratic feedback loop relationship and show that internal innovation efforts positively influence firm innovation performance. On the other hand, diversity in external collaborations has a negative impact on internal innovation efforts, elevating the importance of the optimal balance between internal R&D investments and the diversity of R&D collaborations. The same picture emerges when examining the corresponding direct and indirect effects of internal and external knowledge sources on innovation performance

Does learning from prior collaboration help firms to overcome the ‘two-worlds’ paradox in university-business collaboration?

There is now substantial evidence of the positive contribution universities can make to helping firms’ innovation. Building university-business collaborations, however, confronts the ‘two-worlds’ paradox, and the difference in institutional logics and priorities between businesses and universities. Here, we consider whether firms’ experience from prior collaboration can generate learning which can help to overcome the two-worlds paradox and improve firms’ ability to generate new-to-the-market innovations in collaboration with universities. Our analysis is based on panel data for UK companies and controls for the decision to innovate. We find evidence of significant learning effects which both increase the probability that firms collaborating with universities are able to develop new-to-the-market innovations and then benefit from those innovations. For smaller firms learning effects are strongest from prior collaboration with customers, while for medium and larger firms the strongest learning effects arise from prior collaboration with consultants

Δοκίμια για το ρόλο της διεθνοποίησης στις διαδικασίες Έρευνας και Τεχνολογικής Ανάπτυξης (ΕΤΑ)

[…] Η παρούσα Διδακτορική Διατριβή εστιάζει σε ζητήματα που προκύπτουν από την αλληλεπίδραση των δραστηριοτήτων παραγωγής γνώσης και καινοτομίας από την μια και των δραστηριοτήτων διεθνοποίησης των επιχειρήσεων από την άλλη. Πιο συγκεκριμένα διερευνώνται θέματα που προκύπτουν από την ενδογένεια των διαδικασιών παραγωγής γνώσης που αποτυπώνονται σε διαδικασίες Έρευνας και Τεχνολογικής Ανάπτυξης (ΕΤΑ) και δραστηριότητες διεθνοποίησης (internationalization) που με τη σειρά τους αποτυπώνονται σε εξαγωγικές δραστηριότητες. Οι μεθοδολογικές προσεγγίσεις που χρησιμοποιούνται προσαρμόζονται κάθε φορά αφενός στα ιδιαίτερα ερευνητικά ερωτήματα που τίθενται και αφετέρου στην πολλαπλή ετερογένεια που χαρακτηρίζει τις επιχειρήσεις σε μικρή ανοικτή οικονομία, όπως η Ελλάδα, σε σύγκριση με τις ηγέτιδες σε όρους ΕΤΑ επιχειρήσεις διεθνώς. Σε αυτή την κατεύθυνση, διερευνώνται δύο διαφορετικά συστήματα καινοτομίας-διεθνοποίησης, και συγκεκριμένα το Διεθνές και το Εθνικό, που αναφέρονται αντίστοιχα σε δύο διακριτές ομάδες επιχειρήσεων. Η πρώτη ομάδα επιχειρήσεων επικεντρώνεται σε εκείνες που θεωρούνται πρωτοπόροι σε επενδύσεις σε ΕΤΑ σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο. Η δεύτερη ομάδα επιχειρήσεων που διερευνάται αφορά τις Ελληνικές επιχειρήσεις οι οποίες με τη σειρά τους θεωρούνται πρωτοπόροι εντός του εθνικού συστήματος καινοτομίας στο οποίο δραστηριοποιούνται αλλά ταυτόχρονα έχουν επανειλημμένως χαρακτηριστεί ως «μέτριοι ακόλουθοι» (moderately following) σε όρους καινοτομικής δραστηριότητας εντός της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης (IUS, 2013). […

Innovation and sales growth intentions among the solopreneurs : the role of experience and entrepreneurial self-efficacy

It is widely accepted that the self-employed enjoy non-pecuniary benefits from their employment status. They have greater freedom and autonomy in running their businesses and can pursue their intrinsic ambitions relying on their experience and abilities. In this paper we focus on the group of solopreneurs – solo self-employed who have decided to remain as single employee businesses. What determines turnover growth and product/service innovation intentions among these firms? Within this interplay, previous experience from innovation and growth episodes, as well as entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) plays crucial roles. We empirically analyse the relationship between, and the determinants of, innovation and growth intentions using data on a large sample of UK solopreneurs. Empirical results suggest that past innovation performance and growth shape future solopreneurial intentions through an adaptive learning process given the level of perceived ESE for each future objective. Nonetheless, empirical results suggest that for female and young solopreneurs, ESE does not contribute positively to shaping sales growth and innovation intentions

Knowledge Base, Exporting Activities, Innovation Openness and Innovation Performance: A SEM Approach Towards a Unifying Framework

In this paper we demonstrate the complexity that regulates the innovation-exports nexus. In particular we argue that innovation and exports should be treated as latent variables in order to account for as many facets possible thus, accounting for multifaceted heterogeneity. In this context, the role of innovation openness ought to be highlighted within a unified framework, as it is considered an additional activity of firms’ knowledge creation strategy. In this line, innovation and exporting orientation are ruled by the firms' strategic mix comprised of internal knowledge creation processes and the diversity of innovation openness. Theoretical and empirical links between these major components are identified and measured employing a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach on a sample of Greek R&D-active manufacturing firms. Empirical findings corroborate the complexity of relationships and indicate that the firms’ knowledge base and open innovation strategy regulate via complementary and substitution relationships firms’ innovation and export performance