Andrés Barge-Gil

Hidden innovators: the role of non-R&D activities

Although R&D has been highlighted as the main source of firm-level innovations, a significant group of firms develop innovations without performing R&D activities. The primary goal of this study is to understand the sources of innovation in such firms. To accomplish this goal, we explore the role played by other, non-R&D activities that can lead to innovation – activities such as technology forecasting, design, use of advanced manufacturing technologies and training. Our empirical analysis is based on a representative panel of Spanish manufacturing firms. The results strongly support the view that non-R&D activities are critical factors in explaining both product and process innovations attained by any firm, especially in the case of firms not performing R&D. Academic, managerial, and policy implications are derived from these results.

Developing indicators to measure technology institutes' performance

Technology institutes (TIs) are non-profit innovation and technology organisations aimed to encourage competitiveness of firms. They are a key organisation in the Spanish National Innovation System because of their size and closeness to the productive sector. Despite this, there is a lack of studies trying to measure their performance and its determinants. This work sheds some light on this. We study the influence of operative, financial, organisational, relational and general variables on three measures of results: self-finance, impact and added value. Our conclusions show the relevance of this approach and are confirmed by grouping TIs according to their service supply characteristics. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

The Relevance of Different Open Innovation Strategies for R&D Performers

Abstract The Open Innovation (OI) paradigm has emphasized the role of external knowledge in aiding internal R&D efforts. While most research based on this model has focused on high-tech sectors, this paper attempts to extend it to more mature industries. The study also analyzes a wide range of OI strategies and their relationships with different innovation outcomes. The empirical results, based on a large sample of Spanish manufacturing firms, show that OI strategies are highly effective tools for making internal R&D efforts more successful, both in high- and low-tech sectors. In addition, the study finds evidence that marketbased strategies are positively correlated to achieving process innovations, while partnering strategies have a similar relationship with product innovations. More formalized OI strategies, such as joint ventures, show positive relations with the achievement of patent results.

IMPACT ON FIRMS OF THE USE OF KNOWLEDGE EXTERNAL SOURCES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

This study summarizes the main conclusions from a systematic review of the empirical literature regarding the impact on firms of the use of knowledge external sources (universities, research institutes and knowledge intensive business services). With the aim to organize the literature, we classify the different works according to the research question addressed: (i) which firms use knowledge external sources?; (ii) Do firms using knowledge external sources achieve better results?; And (iii) which firms benefit the most from using knowledge external sources? Stylized facts are that larger, more R&D intensive and high tech firms are more likely to use knowledge external sources and that use of knowledge external sources is associated to firms higher technical results. Less attention has been paid to the third question and evidence is not conclusive. Several recommendations for future research emerge. First, to take in greater consideration methodological issues so that potential biases in the results caused by sample selection and endogeneity are handled properly. Second, to pay more attention to heterogeneous outcomes. Third, to use continuous indicators of depth and breadth of links allowing for non-linear relationships and fourth, to extend evidence for developing countries and service industries.

The complementarity effect of research and development on firm productivity

Returns to investment in research and development (R&D) are a subject of considerable interest in the literature on economics of innovation. However, a drawback of this literature is that R&D is mostly treated as a homogeneous activity. This article analyses the differentiated effect of research and development on productivity and tests the existence of complementarity between these activities. We find evidence supporting the existence of a direct effect of both innovation activities. Most interestingly, our results suggest that there is complementarity between research and development in determining productivity.

Empirical models of firms’ R & D: Applications

This paper is the chapter 18 of the Handbook of Game Theory and Industrial Organization (Vo. II). This chapter is devoted to the empirical models of firms’ R&D. This literature is still growing due to the increasing availability of micro-data. Taking this fact into account, the main purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of three important topics covered by the recent literature: the determinants of firms’ R&D investment, the link between R&D, innovation and productivity, and the analysis of the R&D black box. This chapter is presented as an invitation to industrial organization practitioners, both theorists and applied, to cross the bridge (and to change sides) between theory and applications.