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Innovation capabilities and learning: a vicious circle

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  • Joost Heijs

Abstract

The paper analyses the improvement of the innovation capabilities of firms – or the learning process – generated by innovation projects. The first section offers a brief presentation of the theoretical concepts of innovation and learning, a discussion about the methodological problems of measuring these concepts and the presentation of the results of existing empirical studies. In the next section, the outcome of my own empirical work and their policy implications will be offered. The paper points out that the firms with a low innovative level have a clearly lower learning capability than the more innovative firms. So the main conclusion of this paper is that the less innovative firms are enclosed in a vicious circle and can only reduce the technological gap, respecting to other firms, by extraordinary efforts. For this reason, the improvement of the learning capabilities of a firm should be an important goal of the public intervention in the field of technological change and R&D. To initiate a "catching up" process in the less innovative firms, the instruments of financial support should be combined with technical support and intensive consultancy services.

Suggested Citation

  • Joost Heijs, 2004. "Innovation capabilities and learning: a vicious circle," International Journal of Innovation and Learning, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(3), pages 263-278.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijilea:v:1:y:2004:i:3:p:263-278
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    Cited by:

    1. Alex J. Guerrero & Joost Heijs & Elena Huergo, 2023. "The effect of technological relatedness on firm sales evolution through external knowledge sourcing," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 476-514, April.
    2. Xavier Gellynck & Bert Vermeire, 2009. "The Contribution of Regional Networks to Innovation and Challenges for Regional Policy," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 719-737, September.

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