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Knowledge Sourcing and Innovation in Austrian ICT Companies—How Does Geography Matter?

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  • Franz Tödtling
  • Markus Grillitsch
  • Christoph Höglinger

Abstract

Innovation is regarded as a highly open and interactive process, where companies absorb, generate and apply knowledge relying both on internal and external sources. They maintain links to various knowledge sources from local to global levels using particular channels for acquiring such knowledge. Although global knowledge networks might render the regional environment less important, we argue that geography still matters i) as location for innovation activities and ii) as multiscalar pattern of knowledge relationships. We investigate, therefore, to what extent firms are using particular knowledge sources from regional, national or international spatial levels, and to what extent their innovativeness can be explained by the knowledge sourcing pattern and their location. The paper draws on data from 110 ICT companies in three Austrian regions and uses both descriptive tools and multivariate models. The variety of knowledge sources used on regional as well as international levels and the engagement in R&D cooperations are identified as key factors for innovation in the ICT-sector, whereas company location had less direct effect.

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  • Franz Tödtling & Markus Grillitsch & Christoph Höglinger, 2012. "Knowledge Sourcing and Innovation in Austrian ICT Companies—How Does Geography Matter?," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(4), pages 327-348, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:indinn:v:19:y:2012:i:4:p:327-348
    DOI: 10.1080/13662716.2012.694678
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    1. Gunther Maier & Michaela Trippl, 2011. "New Knowledge for Old Regions? The Case of the Software Park Hagenberg in the Traditional Industrial Region of Upper Austria," ERSA conference papers ersa11p1830, European Regional Science Association.
    2. Smith, Keith, 2002. "What is the 'Knowledge Economy'? Knowledge Intensity and Distributed Knowledge Bases," UNU-INTECH Discussion Paper Series 2002-06, United Nations University - INTECH.
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    1. Akçomak S. & Akdeve E. & Fındık D., 2013. "How do ICT firms in Turkey manage innovation? : diversity in expertise versus diversity in markets," MERIT Working Papers 2013-024, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    2. Michaela Trippl & Markus Grillitsch & Arne Isaksen & Tanja Sinozic, 2015. "Perspectives on Cluster Evolution: Critical Review and Future Research Issues," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(10), pages 2028-2044, October.
    3. Hervás-Oliver, José-Luis & Parrilli, Mario Davide & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Sempere-Ripoll, Francisca, 2021. "The drivers of SME innovation in the regions of the EU," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    4. Franz Tödtling & Markus Grillitsch, 2015. "Does Combinatorial Knowledge Lead to a Better Innovation Performance of Firms?," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(9), pages 1741-1758, September.
    5. Dorota Ciołek & Anna Golejewska & Adriana Zabłocka‐Abi Yaghi, 2022. "Innovation drivers in regions. Does urbanization matter?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(4), pages 1933-1960, December.
    6. Grillitsch, Markus & Nilsson , Magnus, 2013. "Technological competencies and firm performance: Analyzing the importance of internal and external competencies," Papers in Innovation Studies 2013/24, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    7. Sidonia von Proff & Thomas Brenner, 2011. "The Dynamics of Inter-Regional Collaboration – An Analysis of Co-Patenting," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2011-06, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    8. Tödtling, Franz & Auer, Alexander & Sinozic, Tanja, 2014. "Driving factors for cluster development - Which kind of spatial rootedness and change?," SRE-Discussion Papers 2014/06, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    9. Markus Grillitsch & Magnus Nilsson, 2015. "Innovation in peripheral regions: Do collaborations compensate for a lack of local knowledge spillovers?," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(1), pages 299-321, January.
    10. Zhu, Zhuo-Yue & Xie, Hong-Ming & Chen, Liang, 2023. "ICT industry innovation: Knowledge structure and research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    11. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Callum Wilkie, 2019. "Innovating in less developed regions: What drives patenting in the lagging regions of Europe and North America," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 4-37, March.
    12. Franz Tödtling & Alexander Auer, 2021. "Knowledge bases, innovation and multi-scalar relationships: which kind of territorial boundedness of industrial clusters?," Chapters, in: Dirk Fornahl & Nils Grashof (ed.), The Globalization of Regional Clusters, chapter 7, pages 163-188, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Adelheid Holl & Ruth Rama, 2014. "Foreign Subsidiaries and Technology Sourcing in Spain," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 43-64, January.
    14. De Noni, Ivan & Orsi, Luigi & Belussi, Fiorenza, 2018. "The role of collaborative networks in supporting the innovation performances of lagging-behind European regions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 1-13.
    15. Björn T. Asheim & Markus Grillitsch & Michaela Trippl, 2016. "Regional innovation systems: past – present – future," Chapters, in: Richard Shearmu & Christophe Carrincazeaux & David Doloreux (ed.), Handbook on the Geographies of Innovation, chapter 2, pages 45-62, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. Martin, Roman & Wiig Aslesen, Heidi & Grillitsch, Markus & Herstad, Sverre, 2017. "Regional Innovation Systems and Global Flows of Knowledge," Papers in Innovation Studies 2017/7, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    17. Díaz Rodríguez, Héctor Eduardo & Aroche Reyes, Fidel, 2020. "Determinants of labour productivity in Mexico: an approach from the endogenous growth theory using artificial neural networks," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), April.
    18. Sidonia Proff & Thomas Brenner, 2014. "The dynamics of inter-regional collaboration: an analysis of co-patenting," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 52(1), pages 41-64, January.

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