Social Networks across Spatial Agglomerations: the Paradox of High-Tech Clusters. A Critical Revision of Clusters

This paper analyzes a fundamental gap research in high-tech clusters surveying literature in a critical perspective: the paper evidenced the taken-for-granted assumption that knowledge spillovers (KS) are unique assets conveying flows of knowledge in clusters, arguing the importance of traded interactions based on market transaction conditions which occur in clusters, even beyond spatial social networks. In the case of high-tech clusters: which is the type of interactions occurring in clusters when there is a manifested lack of local social networks? Results suggest that under analytical (versus synthetic) knowledge base in clusters, the formal and traded commercial partnerships are also interactions (assets) available in clusters, beyond the traditionally claimed un-traded KS and not being restricted to spatial conditions but to global circuits of knowledge which complement the lack of local resources in high-tech clusters. High-tech clusters surveyed do not show the high levels of inter-firm collaboration that cluster theory predicts

The role of knowledge service activities (KISA) in basic agro-food processes innovation: The case of orange packers in Eastern Spain.

he relevance of innovation in services has been outlined by the knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) concept, which has been empirically and theoretically developed in the context of service innovation. The conceptual and methodology approach of knowledge-intensive service activities (KISA) links the production of knowledge to innovative activities, and has become a relevant focus for the analysis of innovation within a firm. Though relatively new, it has been given a great deal of attention by practitioners and academics in the last five years. This paper will explore, analyze, and compare the ways in which knowledge-intensive activities occur in a small cluster of mature and low-tech industries: orange and lemon selection in Spain. The paper aims to assess the impact of KISA on the firm’s innovation and performance, as well as to analyze whether KISA occurrence is correlated with certain characteristics of firms such as size, organizational profile, market focus, and other characteristics. A model correlating these variables will additionally be proposed and validated

Analysing high technology adoption and impact within public supported high tech programs. An empirical case.

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge in relation to the diffusion and adoption process of high technology. It intends to analyse those mechanisms that influence advanced technology transference and marketing, and those features that improve the impact of public programs supporting the adoption of high technology. The paper proposes a contingent construct that explains how advanced technology is transferred, diffused and adopted by users in a firm. In relation to the impact of technology transference this paper follows a novel approach: value mapping methodology adapted to the case of advanced technology. The article provides empirical evidence on the variables which contribute to the technology transference and commercialization process, and especially in the case of SMES. Key variables such as technology complexity, relationships between researchers, developers and final users, as well as market barriers appear to be critical for the transference process. Moreover, technology absorption by incumbent firms becomes a necessary requirement for its subsequent transfer. The paper has utilised the available experience from the GAME initiative, part of the European Commission IV Research Framework Programme, related to the promotion of microelectronics among Spanish firms. Using a representative sample and employing multivariable analysis methods, a model was developed in order to understand technology diffusion, absorption and transference knowledge flows. In addition, the model is useful for evaluating technology dissemination using the diffusion model to measure its social impact. The paper found that social impact can be explained by the creation of employment

Technological innovation typologies and open innovation in SMEs: Beyond internal and external sources of knowledge

SME inbound open innovation has primarily received attention for new product development, overlooking the fact that SMEs may also pursue process or, simultaneously, product and process innovation. We posit that different technological innovation typologies (product vs process) are related to distinct search strategies. Focusing on 3,867 innovative SMEs, results indicate that inbound open innovation is not only related to internal resources of innovation but also to the type of technological innovation chosen by firms. Our results disentangle a rather more complex and comprehensive view of SME inbound open innovation that prevents the fragmentation of results. It is not just about being more or less innovative, but about how SMEs innovate differently, developing distinct internal and external activities

Marshallian industrial district evolution: Technological impacts and firms’ heterogeneity

This paper adds to the literature by deconstructing knowledge heterogeneity for the understanding of cluster evolution. Starting from the distinction between sustaining and radical innovations, as moderators of knowledge heterogeneity in Marshallian industrial districts (MIDs), this study’s objective consists of answering the question why and how districts evolve, through the understanding of the differing processes creating knowledge, i.e. sustaining and radical, and the type of firms that do so, and analysing critical issues such as how technological changes affect the pattern of district evolution. Theoretical development states that (1) in MIDs radical disruption can be expected to be led by new firms and not by incumbent technology gatekeepers (TGs), which are mainly oriented to providing incremental innovations in order to maintain their status quo and centrality, and (2) in MIDs leading incumbents demonstrate predominantly an orientation towards the creation of sustaining knowledge in dense and orchestrated networks and aim to develop competence-enhancing variety which ensures their centrality and the status quo, making clusters evolve expanding central stages, i.e. specialization. Our argumentation has also challenged a central assumption in MIDs about leading incumbents: the type of knowledge necessary to challenge leading incumbents must be new to the industry and to the district, based on exploratory district boundary-spanning, technology-distant knowledge

A review of economic consequences and costs of male violence against women

This article focuses on male violence against women. As it takes place in what is often considered to be ‘the private sphere’ of the home, violence is difficult to prove, to measure, to prevent and easy to ignore. A multi-country study (WHO, 2005, WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women: Summary report of initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses, Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization) shows that there are wide variations between countries resulting in 15 per cent to 71 per cent of women aged between 15 and 49 years saying that they have been victims of physical or sexual violence in intimate relationships. This article reviews and summarises literature that analyse types of economic costs that result from domestic violence and abuse perpetrated against women

Who are those new entrants? Dissecting types of foreign capital entrance in traditional industrial districts

This paper explains the effects originated by the massive entrance of foreign capital in the ceramic tile district of Castellon (Spain). Cross-fertilizing multinational acquisitions and industrial districts' literature, and using mix-methods on a focal case study, our article explores the effects that those multinationals have on districts, and whether the type of multinationals (financially- oriented vs industrial) presents different impacts on a focal industrial district. Our results point out that the massive entrance of foreign capital alters the local system. Overall, positive perceived attitudes are evidenced, along with negative attitudes associated with potential risks of lack of local-embedded ownership and the reduction of local cooperative ties

Radical vs incremental innovation in marshallian industrial districts in the valencian region: what prevails?

This study’s objective consists of deciphering whether collocation in MIDs, exerts a potential effect on a firm’s discontinuous or radical innovative performance. The study explores and integrates economic geography with innovation literature in order to explore the relationship between Marshalllian Industrial Districts (MIDs) and firm innovation. Specifically, we encompass radical or discontinuous innovation, as opposed to an incremental or imitative one. We build a framework from which MIDs’ effect on discontinuous innovation is approached. Using CIS data in Spain in district and non-district firms in a region, our results show that: (i) collocated firms’ innovative performance is positively related to the District effect, as long as the innovation pursuit is incremental; (ii) collocation in MIDs does not facilitate the pursuit of radical innovation but mainly supports an incremental one, and (iii) district firms show asymmetric capabilities and innovative output, as long as the innovation pursuit is incremental, nor discontinuous. Implications for the MID framework are discussed

Global pipelines and absorptive capacity: insights from the clustered firms at são francisco river valley

This study verified if the knowledge provides by global pipelines is absorbed by clustered firms contributes to minimising both local and clusters asymmetries. We studied one of the most important agricultural barns of Brazil, the fruit-growing cluster São Francisco River Valley (SFRV). It was a Case Study using the technique of Content Analysis through the ATLAS.ti software. A threefold data collection process enhanced the construct validity, allowing the triangulation of the sources and findings. The results showed that Global pipelines minimised the knowledge asymmetries among regions (macro level), but increase the asymmetries inside the cluster, among the firms (micro level). There are two mediating variables to increase the cluster innovation, the firm absorptive capacity and the information access. In the empirical level, the results showed that manager consultants are an essential figure in the SFRV, they are innovation hunters from global markets and provided the knowledge transfer to clustered firms

Estado del arte del proyecto

SME open innovation has received limited attention, especially among SMEs. When it is analyzed in SMEs, it is mostly associated to new product development, overlooking the fact that process innovation is a strategy commonly pursued by SMEs that requires organizing search strategies or external knowledge sourcing for that purpose. Focusing on European firms (SEMs) and classifying for their technological innovation (product, process or product & process orientation), this project is devoted to the understanding of key external sources of SME innovation and also showing how open innovation is linked to SME performance. The results will contribute to the literature on SME open innovation