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“Low-Tech” Innovations

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  • Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen

Abstract

This paper is about an industrial sector which, according to the usual socio-scientific indicators, is referred to as “low-tech”, respectively as non-research intensive and which mostly comprises “traditional” industries. The interest in this sector is motivated by the contradictory situation that, on the one hand, the debate about the perspectives of modern societies focuses on the rapidly growing importance of technological innovations, knowledge and research-intensive economic sectors while, on the other hand, traditional industries make up a considerable fraction of employment and production, especially also in developed economies. On the basis of the results of extensive empirical research, this contribution tries to find answers to the basic question, whether one can speak of an innovation mode typical of the low-tech sector. The institutional based innovation systems approach forms the categorical basis of the analysis. In order to elucidate the specific features of low-tech innovations, they are, in conclusion, compared to the general characteristics of high-tech-based innovation processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Hartmut Hirsch-Kreinsen, 2008. "“Low-Tech” Innovations," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 19-43.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:indinn:v:15:y:2008:i:1:p:19-43
    DOI: 10.1080/13662710701850691
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    Cited by:

    1. Ronaldo Parente & Marne Melo & Daniel Andrews & Arun Kumaraswamy & Flavio Vasconcelos, 2021. "Public sector organizations and agricultural catch-up dilemma in emerging markets: The orchestrating role of Embrapa in Brazil," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(4), pages 646-670, June.
    2. Zouaghi, Ferdaous & Sánchez, Mercedes & Martínez, Marian García, 2018. "Did the global financial crisis impact firms' innovation performance? The role of internal and external knowledge capabilities in high and low tech industries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 92-104.
    3. Svetlana L. Lozhkina & Alexander A. Novikov & Elena V. Novikova & Iliya E. Yanov & Natalia A. Gurevich, 2022. "Influence of the factor "manufacturability" on the economic structure of the innovation process of an industrial enterprise in the context of sustainable development," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 0(1), pages 193-206.
    4. Marco Pini & Paolo Quirino, 2016. "Piccole imprese e family business: evoluzione, divari territoriali, governance e competitivit?," RIVISTA DI ECONOMIA E STATISTICA DEL TERRITORIO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(2), pages 71-100.
    5. Hullova, Dusana & Simms, Christopher Don & Trott, Paul & Laczko, Pavel, 2019. "Critical capabilities for effective management of complementarity between product and process innovation: Cases from the food and drink industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 339-354.
    6. Daniel Loureiro & Oscar Afonso & Paulo B. Vasconcelos, 2024. "Global directed technical change model with fiscal and monetary policies, and public debt," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 1-57, April.
    7. Tindara Abbate & Fabrizio Cesaroni & Angelo Presenza, 2021. "Knowledge transfer from universities to low- and medium-technology industries: evidence from Italian winemakers," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 989-1016, August.
    8. Rosa Jordá-Borrell & Francisca Ruiz-Rodríguez & Reyes González-Relaño, 2015. "Factors and taxonomy of technology purchase (TP) by internationalized innovative companies in peripheral European regions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94, pages 139-174, November.
    9. Ioanna Kastelli & Aggelos Tsakanikas & Yannis Caloghirou, 2018. "Technology transfer as a mechanism for dynamic transformation in the food sector," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(4), pages 882-900, August.
    10. Azar, Goudarz & Ciabuschi, Francesco, 2017. "Organizational innovation, technological innovation, and export performance: The effects of innovation radicalness and extensiveness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 324-336.
    11. Afonso, Oscar, 2023. "Inflation, technological-knowledge bias, and wages," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 91-103.
    12. Michaela Trippl, 2011. "Low-Tech Innovation in a High-Tech Environment? The Food Industry in the Metropolitan Region of Vienna," ERSA conference papers ersa10p133, European Regional Science Association.
    13. Forsman, Helena, 2011. "Innovation capacity and innovation development in small enterprises. A comparison between the manufacturing and service sectors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 739-750, June.
    14. Polt, Wolfgang & Berger, Martin & Boekholt, Patries & Cremers, Katrin & Egeln, Jürgen & Gassler, Helmut & Hofer, Reinhold & Rammer, Christian & Deuten, Jasper & Good, Barbara & Warta, Katharina, 2010. "Das deutsche Forschungs- und Innovationssystem: Ein internationaler Sytemvergleich zur Rolle von Wissenschaft, Interaktionen und Governance für die technologische Leistungsfähigkeit," Studien zum deutschen Innovationssystem 11-2010, Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation (EFI) - Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, Berlin.
    15. Trippl, Michaela, 2010. "Low-tech innovation in a high-tech environment? The case of the food industry in the Vienna metropolitan region," SRE-Discussion Papers 2010/02, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    16. Woodfield, Paul & Husted, Kenneth, 2017. "Intergenerational knowledge sharing in family firms: Case-based evidence from the New Zealand wine industry," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 57-69.
    17. Goudarz Azar & Rian Drogendijk, 2014. "Psychic Distance, Innovation, and Firm Performance," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 54(5), pages 581-613, October.
    18. Juan Ricardo Perilla Jimenez, 2019. "Mainstream and evolutionary views of technology, economic growth and catching up," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 823-852, July.
    19. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Cabral, Bernardo P. & Silva, Felipe Q., 2021. "Intricacies of firm-level innovation performance: An empirical analysis of latecomer process industries," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    20. Garcia Martinez, Marian & Zouaghi, Ferdaous & Sanchez Garcia, Mercedes, 2017. "Capturing value from alliance portfolio diversity: The mediating role of R&D human capital in high and low tech industries," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 55-67.

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