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Sources of information for innovation: the role of companies’ motivations

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  • Massimiliano Volpi

Abstract

The paper analyses the information sources that companies use to innovate. The analysis compares two science-oriented sources of information (universities and public research institutes) with two market-oriented sources (clients and suppliers). The analysis demonstrates the importance of motivations as determinants of the sources of information used. Adding motivations to the established ‘structural’ explanations provides a new way of capturing companies’ search for information and emphasises the direction rather than the breadth of the search process. The results of this analysis also have implications both for policy-making and for companies’ managers, which are discussed in the paper’s conclusions.

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  • Massimiliano Volpi, 2017. "Sources of information for innovation: the role of companies’ motivations," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(8), pages 817-836, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:indinn:v:24:y:2017:i:8:p:817-836
    DOI: 10.1080/13662716.2016.1271974
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