An investigation over inbound open innovation in SMEs: insights from an Italian manufacturing sample

ABSTRACT

Building on the Open Innovation (OI) framework, the purpose of this paper is to examine the R&D inbound model of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Specifically, we focus on the impact of different horizontal R&D collaborations on product innovation and innovation performance. Hypotheses are tested using a Probit/Tobit regression on an Italian sample of 2591 manufacturing SMEs. Our analysis shows that collaborating with different horizontal R&D partners brings to different innovation outcomes. In particular, R&D collaboration with universities has a positive impact on product innovation, but not on innovation performance. Whereas, R&D collaboration with research centres and other private companies has a positive impact on both product innovation and innovation performance. Our findings provide implications for SMEs managers and entrepreneurs who have to decide between R&D partners for their innovation strategy. Avenues for future research are discussed.     

科技型中小企业创新影响实证研究——以河北省为研究对象

本文旨在评估1999年实施科技型中小企业创新基金以来,受到过基金支持并成功通过验收的河北省科技型中小企业创新影响因素和创新绩效的关系。数据来自河北省的174家科技型中小企业,调查不同属性及创新因素影响下创新绩效的差异,探讨提高科技型中小企业创新绩效的因素组合,为政府制定更有针对性的扶持企业发展的创新政策提供决策参考。事实证明,科技型中小企业的创新活动局限于国内范围,主要目的在于改进质量、提高产量和技术水平。研究发现,河北省科技型中小企业技术主要从外部购买;自主研发技术(以下简称自有技术)企业的创新绩效并不好于购买技术的;创新战略与企业所处的竞争环境相适应的企业,总体而言绩效更好,它们具有更好的对环境判断和适应的能力,能够自主研发和创新,从而适应了新的市场经济。     

颠覆性双元创新对数字产业技术融合的影响研究——市场与技术的联动效应

颠覆性创新是数字产业突破在位企业封锁,掌握技术主导权的核心动力。多维度的颠覆性创新政策能否真正促进数字产业技术融合度的提升,行业中其他企业又扮演何种角色？本文围绕技术与市场两个维度,基于数字产业中具有代表性智能制造业的研究数据,运用双元创新理论,探讨探索与利用两种颠覆性技术创新政策影响数字产业技术融合的异同,以及技术距离在其中的作用机制;并比较颠覆性技术双元和颠覆性市场双元之间不同的联动效应。采用逐步回归进行实证检验,研究发现：(1)颠覆性技术探索对技术融合度有显著的正向影响,且技术距离正向调节颠覆性技术探索与技术融合度间关系;(2)颠覆性技术利用与技术融合度呈倒U型关系,且技术距离正向调节颠覆性技术利用与技术融合度间关系;(3)不同的颠覆性技术创新和颠覆性市场创新联动关系对企业技术融合有着截然不同的影响,具体来说,在企业选定颠覆性技术探索战略的情境下,颠覆性市场双元对数字产业技术融合度不会产生明显的促进或抑制作用;在企业选定颠覆性技术利用战略的情境下,颠覆性市场探索对数字产业技术融合度表现出更为明显的促进作用。     

Linking technology intelligence to open innovation

The explosive growth of the Internet has led to a dramatic increase in data sources for (competitive) technology intelligence. Appropriate implementation and use of IT tools to gather and analyze these data is of key importance for the creation of actionable technology intelligence. A strategy to optimize investments in the identified technologies becomes of paramount importance if an organization wants to match knowledge and ideas originating from outside of the organization with internal core competences. Such a strategy can create competitive advantage by effectively linking technology intelligence to open innovation.We show how VIB, a life sciences research organization, has established technology intelligence processes to identify a multitude of external technologies of interest, which are subsequently “probed” for their potential and fit with VIB using real options reasoning, thereby supporting open innovation. Our methodology may be useful for other organizations which are considering implementing open innovation approaches.     

Impact of different patent cooperation network models on innovation performance of technology-based SMEs

ABSTRACT

Patent cooperation network, an important way for technology-based SMEs to enhance innovation performance, has become a research hotspot in recent years. Different types of patent cooperation network models and different degree of SMEs embedding them will lead to different effects on enterprise innovation performance improvement. This research selected the ICT industry and the pharmaceutical industry technology-based SMEs with rich patent output as research objects. Based on binary structure perspective of network breadth and depth, the patent cooperation networks are divided into four types: ‘strong exploration’, ‘weak exploration’, ‘strong utilisation’ and ‘weak utilisation’. Through the multi-selection model and the negative binomial regression model, the general factors in the selection of patent cooperation network models and the impact of different models on enterprise innovation performance are analysed. This research provides path breakthroughs and development proposals for technology-based SMEs to access innovative resources and enhance their innovation capabilities on patent cooperation networks.     

绿色工艺创新扩散波动对经济增长的冲击

本文构建了一个两部门DSGE模型,同时考虑了创新扩散的一般规律(“S型扩散”)与企业绿色技术创新扩散的独特作用(节能作用和减排作用)。基于人口老龄化的预测,模拟随着企业绿色技术创新扩散的波动,经济系统所做出的响应。结果表明：经济变量对于企业绿色技术创新扩散的波动呈现出不同的响应路径,其中资本存量的响应具有滞后性；资本报酬率为首的相关经济变量对于正向冲击的响应出现了“翘尾效应”。最后,本文给出了稳定、正向引导市场预期和在资本市场采取预调机制的政策建议。     

Top management team social capital,exploration-based innovation,and exploitation-based innovation in SMEs

Despite increasing interest in ambidextrous innovations, mainstream literature has excluded discussions on developing and combining exploratory innovation (ERI) and exploitative innovation (EII) in the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. This issue from the SME perspective is worth addressing. Recent studies have conceptually argued the importance of the top management team (TMT) in managing ambidextrous innovations. Building on this argument, we explore how the top manager external social relationships foster ambidextrous innovations and whether internal social relationships among senior executives can be used to integrate such innovations. The results show that (a) distinct external managerial relationships cause differential innovations for SMEs, and (b) internal social capital among top managers could be used effectively to manage ambidextrous innovations. This research indicates that SMEs engaging in both high ERI and EII perform better when they focus on the balancing benefits of TMT internal social capital and the bridging benefits of TMT external social capital.     

Research technology organisations as leaders of R&D collaboration with SMEs: role,barriers and facilitators

Research technology organisations or RTOs have attracted academic interest in the last decade due to their role as technology transfer agents and R&D collaborative leaders for firms and especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Although their role within the diversity of specialised structures in generating R&D for industry in National Innovation Systems is recognised, there are scarce publications in relation to their strategies, performance or characteristic, as leaders of R&D collaboration with SMEs. The aim of this work is to identify the role, barriers and facilitators for RTOs performance as well as to develop a contingency relationship between industry environment, strategy, organisational structure and other factors for successful technology transfer from technology organisations to SMEs. This research is based on a field study conducted on 14 technology organisations based in the Valencia region, working with various industry sectors.     

主动还是被动：企业环保战略与绿色技术创新

以广东地区265家民营企业为样本,从利益相关者理论的视角考察了环保战略对绿色技术创新效益的影响以及企业议价能力与自然环境动荡的权变效应。主要结论包括:①企业制定主动型或被动型环保战略与绿色技术创新外部效益具有U型关系;②企业的议价能力可以正向调节被动型环保战略与绿色技术创新外部绩效的U型关系;③企业所处自然环境的动荡可以正向调节主动型环保战略与绿色技术创新外部绩效的U型关系。     

Next generation entrepreneur: innovation strategy through Web 2.0 technologies in SMEs

This essay studies the diffusion/adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)’ innovation strategies and particularly in research, development, design and other innovation activities. It looks at the effects of these technologies on the evolution and the dynamics of firm's innovation capabilities and the implications of entrepreneurial turnover on the adoption of said technologies. The study is based on original fieldwork with some 130 SMEs. The author finds that a consistent share of SMEs is actively trying to fill the knowledge gap and integrate Web 2.0 technologies in their innovation strategies. SMEs are managing this integration by progressively adjusting their behaviour in reaction to the opportunities offered by the technology and balancing the dependence of the business from the web. Barriers to the adoption of such technologies are also discussed.     

Re-evaluation of global innovation index based on a structural equation model

The Global Innovation Index (GII) was proposed to observe the innovation capability and efficiency levels of individual countries using input and output factors. However, it does not consider potential structural relationships among factors affecting the innovation performance of a country. In this study, we proposed a structural equation model (SEM) based on the hypothesised national innovation structure among seven factors representing inputs (institution, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, and business sophistication) and outputs (knowledge and technology outputs, and creative outputs). Using GII data from 2013, we discovered that business sophistication and infrastructure have the strongest direct and indirect effects on creative output, respectively. In addition, a new ranking is obtained based on the fitted SEM. We provide feedback information to improve innovation capabilities.     

Mediating effect of technological innovation capabilities between dynamic capabilities and competitiveness of research and technology organisations

Technological innovation capabilities (TICs) are important for organisations to obtain core competencies and competitive advantages. This study assesses the relationship between dynamic capabilities (DCs) and TICs, and analyses the effect of TICs on competitiveness in research and technology organisations. The article presents an empirical evidence from a survey of Iranian large public research institute (LPRI). In order to explore the relationship among the constructs of the survey, the model was proposed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results of confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the measurement scale of the variables is valid. Moreover, SEM confirmed that both TICs and DCs enhance competitiveness. Finally, it was indicated that TICs play a mediating role in the relationship between DCs and competitiveness.     

Patent assertion entities: do they impede innovation and technology commercialisation?

This article focuses on addressing a primary charge levelled against patent assertion entities (PAEs): that they impede innovation and technology commercialisation activities of US firms. The paper utilises an intellectual property (IP) strategy framework within the construct of a firm business model to delineate PAE typologies, and then evaluates how they ‘fit’ with either a framework for the protection of IP assets or the exploitation of IP assets. The PAE business model operates under neither an IP asset protection nor IP asset exploitation strategy, but its own IP monetisation strategy. Moreover, a review of recent research on the proliferation and economic impact of PAEs is undertaken, with the overwhelming empirical evidence showing that PAEs are having an adverse impact on innovation and technology commercialisation activities of US firms. Potential patent policy reforms and emerging marketplace options are identified for enhancing a business environment conducive to successful technology innovation and commercialisation.     

Outward foreign direct investment and domestic innovation performance: evidence from China

The existing literature has explored the existence of reverse technology spillover through outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), which means domestic firms improve their technological innovation and productivity due to overseas investment activities. This paper aims to examine how the host country affects reverse technology spillover from OFDI. The findings show domestic innovation performance (DIP) is positively related to OFDI in developed countries while it is negatively related to OFDI in transitional and emerging markets. It is also found that financial development and human capital weaken the positive relationship between OFDI in developed countries and DIP and also weaken the negative relationship between OFDI in transitional and emerging markets and DIP. These results are further confirmed through robustness checks.     

The effect of interfirm codevelopment competency on the innovation of the e-service process and product: the perspective of internal/external technology integration mechanisms

Service innovations are central to today's rapidly changing business environment. Because of heterogeneous customer demands, rapid product life cycles, and advances in information technology (IT) for services management, an expanded conceptualisation of e-service innovation is required. This study examines the mediating effects of internal and external technology integration mechanisms among interfirm codevelopment competency and the innovation of the e-service process and product. A field survey was conducted of IT departments in information service firms to test the theoretical model. IT managers were the key informants. Partial least squares (PLS) analyses supported the main premises of the proposed research model. The data suggest that firms in the information service industry emphasise interfirm codevelopment competency in developing e-service innovations but use different sets of technology integration mechanisms to enhance e-service product and process innovation.     

How external partnering enhances innovation: evidence from Chinese technology-based SMEs

If China is to make the leap from being a manufacturer of goods, often for others, to being a world-class innovator, then Chinese small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have an important role to play in achieving this future goal. Much recent debate has focused on innovation activities of multinational corporations in China, with little attention paid to the role of indigenous SMEs and how they attempt to become more innovation oriented. This paper presents findings from 10 case studies of SME firms based in the Zhejiang Province of China to try and establish to what extent external partnerships have helped them become more innovative and competitive. The most common forms of partnering used by these firms is collaboration with universities, with customers and key suppliers, which has implications for how learning and absorptive capacity affects the firm's innovation strategy.     

产业互联网下企业创新“竞合”网络与创新绩效

利用国家知识产权局2013—2019年上市公司之间的专利合作数据,构建企业间创新"竞合"网络,提取了367家企业作为样本,将企业创新绩效分为企业内部创新绩效和对所在区域的创新贡献度两部分,从内到外探讨了企业在创新"竞合"网络中的位置对创新绩效的影响;同时分析了产业互联网对该影响的调节作用.研究结果表明,企业创新"竞合"网络的接近中心度与企业内部创新绩效和区域创新贡献度均呈正U型分布,企业创新"竞合"网络的结构洞与企业内部创新绩效和区域创新贡献度也均呈正U型分布,企业的产业互联网战略实施对以上关系的影响均呈显著的正向调节作用.     

Investing in innovation to enable global competitiveness: The case of Portugal

The concept of leveraged innovation to create wealth within regions, countries and economies is not a new concept. Competitiveness of regions in the increasingly global economy now requires not only that innovation be present within a regional economy, but also that mechanisms exist to effectively transfer those developed innovations from the research laboratory to the marketplace. It is surmised that increased innovation, and the transfer of this innovation, can lead to increased prosperity of regions (Porter). As such, many developing countries around the world are looking at investments in innovation as a means to spur regional economic development and wealth creation while preserving national competitiveness. That said, innovation investment is by no means an exact science. Historically, typical “innovation investments” have been focused on “tangible” capital infrastructure projects such as the establishment of incubators and science parks. While many regions point to the existence of such tangible innovation assets as proof of investment in innovation, it has been discovered that in some cases, an investment in the capacity building of human networks to engage in technology transfer and commercialization related activities can act as a stronger facilitator for the transformation of economies and produce a larger return on investment in innovation for the country. Given not only Portugal's, but other regions throughout the EU-Zone, recent financial and economic woes, it bears examination on whether investing in the innovation and technology transfer knowledge and “know how” of key human networks within a struggling economy is a worthwhile investment for financially struggling countries during the current times of fiscal crisis.     

Intellectual capital and new product development performance: The mediating role of organizational learning capability

Previous studies rarely examined the relationship between intellectual capital and organizational learning capability. Moreover, most studies neglect the mediating effect of organizational learning capability in the relationship between intellectual capital and new product development performance. This study uses interviews and the survey method to discuss the relationships governing intellectual capital, organizational learning capability, and new product development performance. Results are based on empirical data from Taiwan's IC design industry, and are generated by the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method. Results show that human capital and relational capital actually improve new product development performance through organizational learning capability. Although structural capital positively affects organizational learning capability, managers should pay attention to possibly negative effects of structural capital on new product development performance. Relational capital is the greatest factor among these three types of intellectual capital in Taiwanese IC design companies, structural capital is second, and human capital is last. Comparing three types of intellectual capital of Taiwan's large enterprises with those of Taiwan's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) reveals that the relational capital of Taiwan's SMEs is marginally less than that of large enterprises.     

Development of internal resources and capabilities as sources of differentiation of SME under increased global competition: A field study in Mexico

This paper draws on the resource-based view of the firm and contributes to our understanding of how the development of internal resources and capabilities in SMEs can provide sources of competitive advantages in the international arena and improve their business performance.This research found statistical evidence to suggest that business performance measured by growth rate, efficiency, productivity and shareholder's financial returns, is positively related with the development of internal capabilities such as soft technology (methods and processes that support the firm) and hard technology (externally acquired equipment, in-house development of machinery and innovation in raw materials) and a strategy of continuous improvement, innovation and change.A number of relevant contributions are proposed in this piece of research that expands our understanding of how SMEs can compete in the international context: (1) firms whose explicit business strategy emphasizes innovation and knowledge creation have been able to successfully participate in global contexts; (2) even though financial resources are important for a firm to leverage performance it was found that development of internal capabilities has been more important than limited financial resources in order to develop competitive advantages to compete with larger and multinational competitors; (3) results of this research support the proposition that from an associational economy perspective the development of a geographical region or country should be an interaction among a number of constituents namely government policies, the firms themselves and universities and research centers among others.