Claudia De Fuentes

Determinants of innovation and productivity in the service sector in mexico

Abstract Drawing on survey data about firms in Mexico, we investigate the determinants of innovation and the linkages between innovation and productivity in the services sector. We apply a three-stage Crépon-Duguet-Mairesse (CDM) econometric model; the use of manufacturing firms as a benchmark helps to better appreciate our findings. We find that a series of structural, performance, and behavioral factors increase a firm’s propensity to invest in innovation, but some differences arise between services and manufacturing firms. Intensive investment in innovation leads to superior innovation performance, while innovation output has a positive effect on labor productivity.

Competences as drivers and enablers of globalization of innovation: the Swedish ICT industry and emerging economies

This paper explores the relationship between competences and global innovation networks in the Swedish ICT industry. More specifically this paper combines econometric techniques and case study analysis to capture the interplay between firm level competences (competences as enablers), the availability of competences in the host country (competences as drivers), and the specific strategy of the firm for engaging in global innovation networks. Our results show that for Swedish ICT firms, firm-level competences are an important enabler for globalization of innovation, particularly for offshoring. Home regional competences also play an important role for the mode of globalization of innovation that firms engage in. Host regional competences are important drivers for globalization of innovation, particularly for offshoring and collaboration. The results suggest that the breadth and depth of competences available in host countries actually determine the type of innovation activities that the subsidiary performs, as well as the role that it plays in the global innovation strategy of the company.

What hinders innovation performance of services and manufacturing firms in Mexico

ABSTRACT Barriers to innovation are heterogeneous, of financial and non-financial nature. The importance of barriers to innovation and their actual influence on innovation depend on firms’ characteristics such as sectoral affiliation, technological behavior and their response to perceived obstacles to innovation. Firms either continue to engage in innovation, or they avoid the activity altogether. This paper explored the nature and perceived importance of the obstacles to innovation that firms confront, in a developing-country context; we build on survey data about firms in Mexico. Our findings suggest that two kinds of policy interventions should help offset a firm’s perception of barriers to innovation. On the one hand, policies should enhance the innovation capacity of firms interested in innovation; on the other hand, policies need to tackle factors that reduce the interest of firms in innovation. Policies that boost demand for locally generated innovations would assist in achieving both these goals.

Managing multiple logics in partnerships for scaling social innovation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the field of social innovation by examining institutional logics at the level of inter- and intra-organizational partnerships for scaling impact. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a set of case studies from the Stanford Social Innovation Review to analyze success in scaling social innovations applying the logic compatibility-centrality matrix proposed by Besharov and Smith (2014), which aims to reveal the potential for conflict in organizations based on the diversity of logics present and the degree to which they are compatible with each other. Findings The findings shed insight on how individuals and organizations are able to manage logic multiplicity in the context of partnerships for scaling social innovation. Originality/value The authors build on recent work that recognizes logic multiplicity in social enterprises resulting from their hybrid nature, and the authors add to the existing debate by introducing to the discussion contributions from cognitive theory that help explain why organizational cultures evolve and scale out the way they do.

The geography and structure of Global Innovation Networks : global scope and regional embeddedness

The chapter discusses the spatial aspects of the increased globalization of innovation, analysing both the region’s role in influencing the propensity of actors to engage and to play different roles in global innovation networks (GINs). Until now, different concepts such as global value chain (GVC), global production network (GPN) and GIN have been used to explain the increase globalization of innovation activities. The authors provide a critical overview of these concepts. The involvement of new actors (not just multinationals) from different locations (not just from developed economies) reveal the limitations of frameworks such as GVC and GPN in explaining the structure and dynamics of global networks. The chapter highlights how the concept of GIN, when properly addressed, can lead to a better understanding of the micro and meso dynamics of the new phenomena that arise from the globalization of innovation activities.