IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/qeh/qehwps/qehwps40.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Determinants of Innovation Capability in Small UK Firms: An Empirical Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Henny Romijn and Manuel Albaladejo

Abstract

The paper is an empirical investigation of key internal and external sources of innovation capability in small and medium firms (SME) in the UK. An experimental measure of innovation capability is designed, which captures not merely the occurrence of innovations but also their scientific complexity and originality. The results obtained with this measure compare favourably to those obtained with more conventional statistics. A range of factors internal to firms are found to be relevant, including owners' technical education and prior working experience in large firms and R&D institutions, technical skills of the workforce, and investments in R&D and training. Significant external factors are: public financial support for R&D, and interaction with nearby R&D and training institutions. Although interaction with customers, suppliers and similar-oriented firms are more frequent than the former, there is no evidence that intensive linkages of this kind would be important for innovative capability. These findings do not support the thrust of current UK policy, which seeks to promote SME innovative performance through the formation of geographical clusters of firms in similar lines of business

Suggested Citation

  • Henny Romijn and Manuel Albaladejo, "undated". "Determinants of Innovation Capability in Small UK Firms: An Empirical Analysis," QEH Working Papers qehwps40, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    • Handle: RePEc:qeh:qehwps:qehwps40
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://workingpapers.qeh.ox.ac.uk/RePEc/qeh/qehwps/qehwps40.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alchian, Armen A & Demsetz, Harold, 1972. "Production , Information Costs, and Economic Organization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 62(5), pages 777-795, December.
    2. Malerba, Franco, 1992. "Learning by Firms and Incremental Technical Change," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 102(413), pages 845-859, July.
    3. Robert Huggins, 1998. "Local Business Co-operation and Training and Enterprise Councils: The Development of Inter-firm Networks," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(9), pages 813-826.
    4. Luis Suarez-Villa & Wallace Walrod, 1997. "Operational Strategy, R&D and Intra-metropolitan Clustering in a Polycentric Structure: The Advanced Electronics Industries of the Los Angeles Basin," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 34(9), pages 1343-1380, August.
    5. Cooke, Philip & Gomez Uranga, Mikel & Etxebarria, Goio, 1997. "Regional innovation systems: Institutional and organisational dimensions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(4-5), pages 475-491, December.
    6. Henny Romijn, 1999. "Acquisition of Technological Capability in Small Firms in Developing Countries," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-38980-9, December.
    7. Paul S. Adler & Kim B. Clark, 1991. "Behind the Learning Curve: A Sketch of the Learning Process," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 37(3), pages 267-281, March.
    8. Cohen, Wesley M & Levinthal, Daniel A, 1989. "Innovation and Learning: The Two Faces of R&D," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 99(397), pages 569-596, September.
    9. Ejaz Ghani, 1992. "How Significant are Externalities for Development?," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: North-South and South-South, chapter 6, pages 118-161, Palgrave Macmillan.
    10. Rolf Sternberg, 1999. "Innovative Linkages and Proximity: Empirical Results from Recent Surveys of Small and Medium Sized Firms in German Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(6), pages 529-540.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. José Albors-Garrigos & José L. Hervas-Oliver, 2011. "Making sense of innovation by R&D and non-R&D innovators in low technology contexts: a forgotten lesson for policymakers," Working Papers. Serie EC 2011-06, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    2. Sanna Pekkola & Juhani Ukko, 2008. "Measuring the Effectiveness and Innovative Capability: Case Lahti University Consortium," European Financial and Accounting Journal, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2008(3), pages 62-78.
    3. Jose-Luis Hervas-Oliver & Francisca Ripoll-Sempere & Carles Boronat Moll, 2016. "Does management innovation pay-off in SMEs? Empirical evidence for Spanish SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 507-533, August.
    4. repec:ipt:iptwpa:jrc85346 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Fatas-Villafranca, Francisco & Jarne, Gloria & Sanchez-Choliz, Julio, 2009. "Industrial leadership in science-based industries: A co-evolution model," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 390-407, October.
    6. Jose-Luis Hervas-Oliver & Jose Albors-Garrigos & Blanca de-Miguel & Antonio Hidalgo, 2012. "The role of a firm's absorptive capacity and the technology transfer process in clusters: How effective are technology centres in low-tech clusters?," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(7-8), pages 523-559, September.
    7. Tomi Tura & Vesa Harmaakorpi, 2005. "Measuring Regional Innovative Capability," ERSA conference papers ersa05p680, European Regional Science Association.
    8. William Collier & Francis Green & Young-Bae Kim & John Peirson, 2011. "Education, Training and Economic Performance: Evidence from Establishment Survival Data," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 336-361, December.
    9. Hervas-Oliver, Jose-Luis & Sempere-Ripoll, Francisca & Boronat-Moll, Carles, 2012. "Process innovation objectives and management complementarities: patterns, drivers, co-adoption and performance effects," MERIT Working Papers 2012-051, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    10. Alexandra Goudi & Dimitris Skuras & Kyriaki Tsegenidi, 2003. "Innovation and Business Performance in Rural and Peripheral Areas of Greece," ERSA conference papers ersa03p337, European Regional Science Association.
    11. Jose-Luis Hervas-Oliver & Jos� Albors-Garrigos & Juan-Jose Baixauli, 2012. "Beyond R&D activities: the determinants of firms’ absorptive capacity explaining the access to scientific institutes in low--medium-tech contexts," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 55-81, December.
    12. Marín, Alejandra & Laureiro, Daniela & Forero, Clemente, 2007. "Innovation patterns and intellectual property in SMEs of a developing country," Galeras. Working Papers Series 017, Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Administración. School of Management.
    13. Bilanakos, Christos & Heywood, John S. & Sessions, John & Theodoropoulos, Nikolaos, 2018. "Does demand for product quality increase worker training?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 159-177.
    14. Jose G. Vargas-Hernandez & Omar Cristian Vargas Gonzalez, 2020. "Innovation in Utility Craftsmanship: Analysis Based on Human Capital," International Journal of Business and Economic Affairs (IJBEA), Sana N. Maswadeh, vol. 5(1), pages 42-50.
    15. Jeetendra Khadan, 2018. "Estimating the Effects of Human Capital Constraints on Innovation in the Caribbean," Economies, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-18, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Romijn, Henny & Albaladejo, Manuel, 2002. "Determinants of innovation capability in small electronics and software firms in southeast England," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(7), pages 1053-1067, September.
    2. Pier Paolo Patrucco, 2005. "The emergence of technology systems: knowledge production and distribution in the case of the Emilian plastics district," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 29(1), pages 37-56, January.
    3. Iammarino, Simona & Padilla-Pérez, Ramon & von Tunzelmann, Nick, 2008. "Technological Capabilities and Global-Local Interactions: The Electronics Industry in Two Mexican Regions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1980-2003, October.
    4. Simona Iammarino & Philip McCann, 2010. "The Relationship between Multinational Firms and Innovative Clusters," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 8, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Iammarino, Simona & Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco & Von Tunzelmann, Nick, 2009. "Technological Capabilities and Patterns of Cooperation of UK Firms: A Regional Investigation," IZA Discussion Papers 4129, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Malerba, Franco, 2002. "Sectoral systems of innovation and production," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 247-264, February.
    7. Maria Grazia Zoia & Laura Barbieri & Flavia Cortelezzi & Giovanni Marseguerra, 2018. "The determinants of Italian firms’ technological competencies and capabilities," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 8(4), pages 453-476, December.
    8. Lee, You-Na & Walsh, John P., 2016. "Inventing while you work: Knowledge, non-R&D learning and innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 345-359.
    9. Murat YILDIZOGLU, 2009. "Evolutionary approaches of economic dynamics (In French)," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2009-16, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    10. Marjolein Caniëls & Henny Romijn, 2003. "SME Clusters, Acquisition of Technological Capabilities and Development: Concepts, Practice and Policy Lessons," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 3(3), pages 187-210, September.
    11. Patrucco, Pier Paolo, 2004. "The Production of Collective Knowledge: Some Evidence from European Metropolitan Areas," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis LEI & BRICK - Laboratory of Economics of Innovation "Franco Momigliano", Bureau of Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge, Collegio 200401, University of Turin.
    12. Malhotra, Abhishek & Schmidt, Tobias S. & Huenteler, Joern, 2019. "The role of inter-sectoral learning in knowledge development and diffusion: Case studies on three clean energy technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 464-487.
    13. Patrucco, Pier Paolo, 2002. "Metropolitan Regions as a Factor Shaping the Dynamics of Collective Technological Knowledge," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis LEI & BRICK - Laboratory of Economics of Innovation "Franco Momigliano", Bureau of Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge, Collegio 200207, University of Turin.
    14. Andreas Koch & Harald Strotmann, 2006. "Determinants of Innovative Activity in Newly Founded Knowledge Intensive Business Service Firms," International Studies in Entrepreneurship, in: Michael Fritsch & Juergen Schmude (ed.), Entrepreneurship in the Region, chapter 10, pages 195-224, Springer.
    15. Balkrishna C. Rao & Ingo Liefner, 2023. "Frugal Engineering of Advanced Frugal Innovations for Global Sustainability Entrepreneurship," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 32(2_suppl), pages 69-88, November.
    16. Teplykh, Grigorii & Galimardanov, Amal, 2017. "Modeling of innovative investment in Russian regions," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 46, pages 104-125.
    17. Beugelsdijk, S. & Cornet, M., 2001. "How far do They Reach? The Localization of Industrial and Academic Knowledge Spillovers in the Netherlands," Other publications TiSEM 303b1186-e227-43ce-a118-0, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    18. Sasidharan, Subash & Kathuria, Vinish, 2011. "Foreign Direct Investment and R&D: Substitutes or Complements--A Case of Indian Manufacturing after 1991 Reforms," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1226-1239, July.
    19. Nicolov Mirela, 2012. "Regional Analysis Of Financial Resources Involved In Research Development And Innovation (Rdi) Sector In Romania In The Last Decade '"Study Done On Macroregions," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 250-255, December.
    20. Peretto, Pietro F., 1999. "Industrial development, technological change, and long-run growth," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 389-417, August.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:qeh:qehwps:qehwps40. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: IT Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/qehoxuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.