Can creative firms thrive without copyright? Value generation and capture from private-collective innovation

Accounts of the copyright industries in national reports suggest that strong intellectual property (IP) rights support creative firms. However, mounting evidence from sectors such as video game production and 3-D printing indicate that business models based on open IP can also be profitable. This study investigates the relationship between IP protection and value capture for creative industry firms engaged in collective/open innovation activities. A sample of 22 businesses interviewed in this study did not require exclusive ownership of creative materials but instead employed a range of strategies to compete and capture value. Benefits for some firms resemble those for participants in private-collective innovation (PCI), originally observed in open-source software development. Advantages of PCI include the ability to commercialize user improvements and a reduction in transaction costs related to seeking and obtaining permission to innovate existing ideas. Some creative firms in this study were able to generate and capture value from PCI in two directions: upstream and downstream. These dynamics offer a mechanism to understand and articulate the value of openness for creative industries policy and management of creative organizations.     

The impact of service innovation on firm-level financial performance

This article empirically investigates if firms focusing on service innovation perform better financially than firms not focusing on service innovation. Analysis of the financial performance of 3575 Norwegian firms in the manufacturing industries supports the proposition that firms focusing on service innovation have significantly higher growth of operating results than firms not focusing on service innovation. However, this proposition is not supported in a corresponding analysis of 1132 Norwegian firms in the service industries. We elaborate on these results by investigating a variety of performance measures and by comparing the effects of service innovation between manufacturing and service industries. The article contributes to the service innovation measurement literature and to a better general understanding of the determinants of service innovation performance effects.     

Do innovation spillovers impact employment and skill upgrading?

So far, the research on impact of innovation on employment and skills focused on effects within firms and sectors. Little attention was paid to the influence of interlinkages between sectors as a source of employment change. The main contribution of this paper to the field refers to broadening the analysis of innovation impacts to innovation spillovers from vertically linked sectors on firms' employment and skill change in user industries. The empirical analysis conclusively demonstrates an important role of innovation spillovers in the economy. Firms' employment growth is shown to benefit significantly from spillovers of product innovations in manufacturing and knowledge-intensive services. Similarly, firms that are subject to increased spillovers of product innovations as well as marketing and organisational innovations are more likely to upgrade their skill composition. Conversely, employment growth and skill composition of firms seem to be negatively affected by spillovers of process innovations in vertically linked sectors.     

Realization of Open Innovation: A Case Study in the Manufacturing Industry

Continuous innovation is regarded as an imperative for most companies. In this regard, open innovation suggests a successful approach to new product development, wherein the emphasis is on external collaboration. Previous research has provided examples from some industries, whereas mature and traditional companies such as manufacturing firms have gained limited interest. Thus, this paper seeks to answer two critical questions: why should manufacturing companies shift toward open innovation approaches and how can they adopt open innovation for product development. Based on case study in two companies, a list of opportunities, challenges, and efforts for organizational change toward open innovation are discussed.     

How innovation impacts firms' export survival: Does export mode matter?

The innovation-export nexus has been extensively explored, while relatively few studies have focused on innovation's impact on firms' export survival and the role of export mode. Using a large panel dataset from China, this research empirically explores how innovation impacts firms' export survival, considering export modes. First, we employ the discrete-time survival analysis model (cloglog) to examine this research addressing the censored issue. Second, the propensity score matching (PSM) methodology is employed to address the selection-bias issue and select the similar firms based on which to compare their Kaplan–Meier survivor probability. Results present a positive role of innovation in the export survival of direct exporters; however, there is an inverted-U relationship between innovation intensity and their survival probability. For indirect exporters, evidence shows an insignificant innovation-export survival nexus. In addition, results show higher export survival for Chinese innovative exporters who are foreign-owned, highly export-intensive, long-lasting in export market, in technology industries. For innovative exporters who export directly, those in medium and low-technological industries and export capital goods are more likely to survive. Our research provides insights for Chinese exporters regarding innovation participation and suggests the government conducting prudent and deliberate design for innovation strategy.     

Marketing Innovation in Rural Small Food Industries in Iran

Marketing innovation is essential for small industries to transform products into profit; therefore, understanding its nature and determinants is of utmost importance. This study aimed at understanding marketing innovation and its determinants in the 60 small food industries in the rural areas of Tehran province, Iran. Using a census sampling method, 111 managers of these firms were interviewed. Results showed that the firms’ performance in marketing innovation is generally weak, and a higher level of radical innovation in marketing is perceived compared to the incremental innovation. Also, a cause-and-effect relationship exists between both product and organizational innovations and marketing innovation. Furthermore, while incremental marketing innovation was negatively influenced by formal R&D unit, product diversification, and the manager’s years of experience, radical marketing innovation was affected by the capacity of production, product diversification, and managers’ age and education. The study concluded that in order to boost marketing innovation, innovation should be made also in products and organization. In addition, in order to facilitate the process of marketing innovation, practical and updated training for managers encouraging incremental innovation in marketing, product diversification, and improving R&D activities in the studied firms should be regarded.     

Measuring innovation in a ‘low-tech’ service industry: the case of the Dutch hospitality industry

This article presents the findings of a survey among 613 firms in the Dutch hospitality industry adopting a demarcation perspective. The paper illustrates that innovation in this service industry is much higher and more varied than regularly reported. It further indicates that innovation activities in ‘low-tech industries’ can be in place with less formalized forms of (service) innovation management. Finally, it is shown that a higher innovation intensity is associated with better firm performance. Based on this, some implications for managing innovation in the hospitality industry are discussed. Finally, some fundamental issues in the measurement of service innovation are raised.     

Local and international knowledge search and product innovation: The moderating role of technology boundary spanning

Drawing on the external knowledge search literature and the literature on international diversification, this study examined the interactive effect of local and international search for new knowledge on product innovation and the moderating role of a firm's technology boundary spanning activities. Specifically, it proposed that extensive local and international search interact to positively predict product innovation success and this relationship is weaker for firms entering a new technology domain. The results using data on 343 Chinese manufacturing firms across 5 industries indicated the support for the predictions.     

Industry changes in technology and complementary assets and the creation of high-growth firms

This study uses employment data to examine why some industries host more new high-growth firms than others. Using a unique data base of 201 industries over a 15-year period, we find that increases in the proportion of employment of scientists and engineers in industries are positively associated with counts of fast-growing new firms; however, we do not detect a relationship between fluctuations in the proportion of employment in sales and production occupations and counts of fast-growing new firms. The findings suggest that technological innovation is an important determinant of entrepreneurial opportunity. Further, they suggest that private new firms are an important means of organizing commercial innovation and that new firms may be less constrained by complementary assets than has been previously understood.     

How Does Corporate Social Responsibility Affect Corporate Continuous Innovation?

From the perspective of sustainable development, this paper analyzes the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the corporate continuous innovation based on the theory of innovation economics and the demand for innovationdriven development, and then conducts a series of empirical tests based on a sample of Chinese A-shared listed companies from 2008 to 2016. The results show that better CSR performance is conducive to the continuous innovation, and this positive relationship is more pronounced for firms with voluntary accounting information disclosure, for firms of non-high-technology industries, and when policy uncertainty is high. This paper not only enriches the literature on CSR but also provides theoretical references for the innovation practice of enterprises under the innovation-driven strategy.     

General Purpose Technologies and local knowledge accumulation — A study on MNC subunits and local innovation centers

This research looks into the innovative activities of subunits of large non-U.S firms in the U.S from 1969 to 1995, suggesting that the innovations in the subunits of multinational corporations are closely linked to their specializations in General Purpose Technologies (GPTs). GPTs enable recombining knowledge from different domains on an international scale, and that the specialization of innovations in GPT fields within a subunit is positively associated with the innovative capacity at large, along with the degree of technological diversification of that specific subunit. As firms expand geographically to tap into local innovation centers to develop new growth alternatives, specialization of GPTs in these firms actually facilitates further geographical dispersion of innovative activities across locations. Lastly, additional specializations of innovations in GPT fields within the host innovation centers does help in attracting innovation activities of firms from a wider range of industries.     

Determinants of proactive innovative behaviour in new services: empirical investigation of service versus manufacturing firms

The research performs a complete analysis of the differences between services and products based on factors associated with the innovation process. The research analyses the factors/dimensions and their repercussions that determine firms' capacity to adapt to their environment and observes how the critical dimensions of the innovation process influence the gap generated by the difference in the firm's current level of innovation and the level developed by the competition. The results show that the client's participation in the process of innovation is greater in service firms that possess a larger innovation gap and are more proactive. The opposite is the case for formalization and decentralization, which occur in lower levels in this kind of firm. Further, decentralization and formalization are lower in service than in manufacturing firms.     

横向、纵向溢出与中小企业自主创新——硬能力和软能力的作用

本研究从理论上分析了横向、纵向溢出效应对中小企业自主创新绩效的影响及不同技术能力在二者之间起何作用。利用层级回归分析方法,实证检验了122家高新技术本土企业,发现硬能力对纵向溢出效应与企业自主创新绩效的关系具有正向调节作用,软能力对横向溢出效应、纵向溢出效应与企业自主创新绩效的关系均具有正向调节作用,说明中小企业技术创新在积极构建外部关系平台的同时,区分不同的溢出信息和提升相应的技术能力是非常关键的。     

FDI与中国技术创新能力的协整分析——基于中国1990-2005年数据

外国直接投资(FDI)对东道国提高生产率、增强国内产业的竞争力具有重要贡献。FDI在对中国经济增长做出贡献的同时,是否也促进了中国技术创新能力的提高?文章运用协整与格兰杰因果检验方法考察了1990-2005年流入中国的FDI和专利授权量之间的关系。研究结果表明,FDI流量与专利授权量存在长期稳定的均衡关系,但FDI流量对专利授权量的贡献在短期内是不明显的。FDI流入类型、中国企业的吸收能力以及FDI与中国企业的互动关系是造成这一现象的主要原因。     

资本市场错误定价与企业创新

文章运用2007-2016年A股制造业公司的年度数据，研究股票市场错误定价对企业创新的影响。研究发现，在错误定价影响企业创新的两种渠道中，直接的“迎合渠道”和间接的“融资渠道”均在我国存在，且以“迎合渠道”为主。文章发现的意义在于，在一定条件下高股价可能会促进企业创新，监管者可以利用股票市场高估的区间，促进企业创新，推动产业升级。     

Strategic ambidexterity and innovation in Chinese multinational vs. indigenous firms: The role of managerial capability

In this study, we challenge the conventional understanding of ambidexterity as an unquestionable contribution to better performance. We combine the concept of ambidexterity and the notion of managerial capability to explore different effects of ambidexterity on innovation performance in the context of emerging markets. We investigate this ambidexterity-innovation effect, and how this effect is moderated by managerial capability, on a sample of 74 Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) vs. 60 indigenous firms that are both in high technology industries. We find that, surprisingly, ambidexterity has a negative effect on the innovation performance of indigenous firms, although this effect is less so in the case of Chinese MNEs. More importantly, strong managerial capability increases the positive effect of ambidexterity on the innovation performance of Chinese MNEs, but not so for indigenous firms. We discuss the implications of these findings on research on ambidexterity and product innovation.     

Determinants of Export Performance: An Institutional Approach

This study evaluates the impact of institutional factors and innovation on the export performance of firms, from the assumption that the basic institutional framework of a country affects the export performance of firms through three transmission mechanisms: innovation, modes of entry to foreign markets, and network. The study comprises a qualitative, multicase study of five firms in the metalworking industry in the state of Santa Catarina (southern Brazil). The results of the study show the limitations of the institutional framework of the country of origin, particularly in terms of stimulating innovation in firms. On the other hand, the study points to strong evidence of the role of networking as a critical factor in determining the performance of innovation activities and export performance. Specifically, the findings highlight foreign-established networks, especially in regard to customers to drive innovation, and distributors to expand participation in markets. Finally, in terms of the effect of the institutional framework on the selection of internationalization strategies, for the cases studied, the findings suggest that the institutional frameworks of destination countries seem to exert greater influence than do the institutions of the country of origin.     

Accumulating human capital: Corporate innovation and firm value

We empirically document that industries that are more R&D intensive exhibit disproportionately greater innovation quantity and better innovation quality in economies with more human capital. Firm-level evidence confirms that innovation is an important channel through which firm responds to labor market conditions. Further analyses show that in economies with greater human capital, firms better able to innovate exhibit larger increase in labor productivity and capital–labor ratio, an effect driven by deceases in employment and increase in intangible capital investment. By facilitating the adjustment in input mix and capital structure, human capital accumulation allows firms with high innovation ability to enhance firm equity value and improve firm performance.     

Learning Orientation and Performance Satisfaction as Predictors of Small Firm Innovation: The Moderating Role of Gender

Research on innovation in the context of small entrepreneurial firms is limited. Limited available studies on innovation in small firms are devoted mostly to firms operating in knowledge-intensive or technology industries and ignore the vast majority of small firms operating in traditional and less knowledge-intensive sectors of the economy. The rapid pace of technological change and the intensifying environmental turbulence in our economy influence all firms, including the majority of small firms that are perishing at a faster rate. Innovation is a key competitive tool for survival in a turbulent environment. Thus, it is important to understand factors influencing innovation in small firms. In this paper, we explore how learning orientation, a small-firm owner’s satisfaction with firm performance, and the firm owner’s gender influence innovation in small firms. We test the proposed model on a sample of small firms located in the United States of America.     

Local User-Producer Interaction in Innovation and Export Performance of Firms

This paper studies the effects of local market attributes on local firms’ exports of innovations. Our starting point are three common hypotheses. First, innovations are a major determinant for the export performance of firms. Second, user–producer interaction is an important factor for successful innovations. Third, user–producer interaction is most efficient in close proximity. Taken together this would mean that intense local user–producer interaction increases exports. This reasoning contradicts a main proposition in international management that overt local responsiveness may be hampering export chances of a firm. In order to generate global innovations, an international firm should look at the world market instead, for instance by identifying the global common denominator of national preferences. Yet, many local innovations have become globally successful. This paper investigates the question to what extent local demand is capable of inducing innovations that are export effective. We utilize data from the German innovation survey of 4,786 firms in the manufacturing and service industries. In this survey firms were asked about the sources of their innovation and their export activities. We find evidence that the export orientation and the domestic demand structure stimulate export success.