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KIBS as both innovators and knowledge intermediaries in the innovation process: Intermediation as a contingent role

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  • Richard Shearmur
  • David Doloreux

Abstract

The role of knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) in innovation processes is often understood as that of knowledge intermediaries. Yet KIBS are innovators, and use external services: so what is their nature (or identity) and can it be distinguished from the roles they play? We conceptualize how KIBS can be understood simultaneously as innovators and intermediaries. We survey 407 KIBS innovators, and ask: what characterizes KIBS innovators that use KIBS intermediation? What factors are connected with different aspects of this relationship? Is the relationship conditioned by geographic context? The relationship varies with type of innovation introduced and with user characteristics, but not with geographic context. El papel de los servicios empresariales intensivos en conocimiento (KIBS, por sus siglas en inglés) en los procesos de innovación se entiende a menudo como el de los intermediarios del conocimiento. Sin embargo, puesto que los KIBS son los innovadores y utilizan servicios externos, ¿cuál es su naturaleza (o identidad)? y ¿pueden distinguirse de los papeles que representan? Se conceptualiza cómo los KIBS se pueden entender simultáneamente como innovadores y como intermediarios. Se realizó una encuesta a 407 innovadores de KIBS y se cuestionó: ¿qué caracteriza a los innovadores de KIBS que utilizan la intermediación de KIBS? ¿Qué factores están relacionados con los diferentes aspectos de esta relación? ¿Está condicionada la relación por el contexto geográfico? La relación varía según el tipo de innovación introducida y las características del usuario, pero no según el contexto geográfico. イノベーションのプロセスにおける知識集約型ビジネス支援サービス業 (knowledge intensive business services: KIBS)の役割は、知識のインターミディアリーとして理解されていることが多い。しかし、KIBSはイノベーターであり、外部のサービスを使うため、KIBSの特性 (またはアイデンティティ)とは何か、およびその特性はKIBSの役割と識別できるものなのか、という疑問が生じる。そこでKIBSがどのように、イノベーターでありインターミディアリーでもあると理解されるのかを概念化する。407のKIBSのイノベーション企業を調査し、KIBSの仲介サービスを利用するKIBSのイノベーターを特徴づけるものは何か、このリレーションシップの異なる側面をつないでいる要因は何か、このリレーションシップは地理的コンテクストによって条件付けられているのか、という質問をした。リレーションシップは、当該のイノベーションのタイプおよびユーザーの特徴によって様々であるが、地理的コンテクストによる違いは認められなかった。

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Shearmur & David Doloreux, 2019. "KIBS as both innovators and knowledge intermediaries in the innovation process: Intermediation as a contingent role," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 98(1), pages 191-209, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:presci:v:98:y:2019:i:1:p:191-209
    DOI: 10.1111/pirs.12354
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    Cited by:

    1. Bjerke, Lina & Johansson, Sara, 2022. "Innovation in agriculture: An analysis of Swedish agricultural and non-agricultural firms," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    2. Seclen-Luna, Jean Pierre & Alvarez Salazar, Jubalt & Cancino, Christian A. & Schmitt, Valentina, 2024. "The effects of innovations on peruvian companies’ sales: The mediating role of KIBS," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    3. Di Meglio, Gisela & Gallego, Jorge, 2022. "Disentangling services in developing regions: A test of Kaldor's first and second laws," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 221-229.
    4. Seungil Yum, 2019. "The interaction between knowledge-intensive business services and urban economy," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 63(1), pages 53-83, August.
    5. Xuemeng Guo & Ke Guo & Hanzhong Zheng, 2023. "Industrial Agglomeration and Enterprise Innovation Sustainability: Empirical Evidence from the Chinese A-Share Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-26, July.
    6. Hannu Littunen & Timo Tohmo & Esa Storhammar, 2021. "Innovation among SMEs in Finland: The impact of stakeholder engagement and firm-level characteristics," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 17(4), pages 157-196.
    7. Daniel Feser, 2023. "Innovation intermediaries revised: a systematic literature review on innovation intermediaries’ role for knowledge sharing," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1827-1862, July.
    8. Bento, Nuno & Fontes, Margarida & Barbosa, Juliana, 2021. "Inter-sectoral relations to accelerate the formation of technological innovation systems: Determinants of actors’ entry into marine renewable energy technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    9. Doloreux, David & Turkina, Ekaterina, 2023. "Intermediaries in regional innovation systems: An historical event-based analysis applied to AI industry in Montreal," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Krzysztof Borodako & Jadwiga Berbeka & Michał Rudnicki, 2021. "Innovation Orientation in Business Services," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 19897.
    11. Veronika Belousova & Oxana Bondarenko & Nikolay Chichkanov & Denis Lebedev & Ian Miles, 2022. "Coping with Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Insights from Digital Business Services," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-26, April.
    12. repec:hig:wpaper:100sti2019 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Juan Carlos Martínez-Torres & Jaider Vega-Jurado, 2022. "El impacto de los agentes intermediarios en el proceso de cooperación para innovar: el papel moderador del tamano de la empresa," Estudios Gerenciales, Universidad Icesi, vol. 38(162), pages 2-16, March.
    14. Howells, Jeremy, 2024. "Innovation intermediaries in a digital paradigm: A theoretical perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).

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