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The impact of innovation activities on productivity and firm growth: evidence from Brazil

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  • Goedhuys, Micheline

    (UNU-MERIT and University of Antwerpen)

Abstract

Using micro data from Brazilian manufacturing firms, this paper investigates the impact of a wide set of innovation activities on firms' total factor productivity (TFP) and its subsequent effect on firm growth, measured by sales. Controlling for size and age of the firms, productivity levels and productivity growth of firms over time are found to be key drivers of firm size adjustments. The activities leading to higher productivity levels are organizational change, cooperation with clients, human capital development, ICT usage, product innovation and learning by exporting, with an R&D effect only in the long run. Though the intensity with which firms engage in these innovation activities is sector dependent, innovation activities are in all sectors important for explaining sales growth differences, also in the more traditional sectors in which Brazilian firms have a competitive advantage.

Suggested Citation

  • Goedhuys, Micheline, 2007. "The impact of innovation activities on productivity and firm growth: evidence from Brazil," MERIT Working Papers 2007-002, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2007002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. A.A. Egbetokun & A.A. Adeniyi & W.O. Siyanbola, 2012. "On the capability of SMEs to innovate: the cable and wire manufacturing subsector in Nigeria," International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(1/2), pages 64-85.
    2. Crespi, Gustavo & Zuniga, Pluvia, 2012. "Innovation and Productivity: Evidence from Six Latin American Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 273-290.
    3. Hulya Ulku & Mehmet Pamukcu, 2015. "The impact of R&D and knowledge diffusion on the productivity of manufacturing firms in Turkey," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 79-95, August.
    4. Wladimir Raymond & Pierre Mohnen & Franz Palm & Sybrand Schim van der Loeff, 2007. "The Behavior of the Maximum Likelihood Estimator of Dynamic Panel Data Sample Selection Models," CIRANO Working Papers 2007s-06, CIRANO.
    5. Ana Martins & Tiago Domingues & Catarina Branco, 2018. "The Determinants of TFP Growth in the Portuguese Service Sector," GEE Papers 0114, Gabinete de Estratégia e Estudos, Ministério da Economia, revised Nov 2018.
    6. Adel Ben Khalifa, 2023. "Impact of research and development (R&D) and information, and communication technology (ICT) on innovation and productivity evidence from Tunisian manufacturing firms," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(2), pages 341-361, April.
    7. Betarelli Junior, Admir Antonio & Faria, Weslem Rodrigues & Gonçalves Montenegro, Rosa Livia & Bahia, Domitila Santos & Gonçalves, Eduardo, 2020. "Research and development, productive structure and economic effects: Assessing the role of public financing in Brazil," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 235-253.
    8. Fagerberg, Jan & Srholec, Martin & Verspagen, Bart, 2010. "Innovation and Economic Development," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 833-872, Elsevier.
    9. Elena Feltrinelli & Roberto Gabriele & Sandro Trento, 2013. "Do middle managers matter?," DEM Discussion Papers 2013/11, Department of Economics and Management.
    10. Eva Yamila Catela & Mario Cimoli & Gabriel Porcile, 2015. "Productivity and Structural Heterogeneity in the Brazilian Manufacturing Sector: Trends and Determinants," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(2), pages 232-252, June.
    11. Olubunmi Ipinnaiye & Declan Dineen & Helena Lenihan, 2016. "Analysing the Drivers of Services Firm Performance: Evidence for Ireland," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 47(2), pages 213-245.
    12. M. Constanza Demmel & Juan A. Máñez & María E. Rochina-Barrachina & Juan A. Sanchis-Llopis, 2013. "Innovation and productivity: evidence for 4 Latin American countries manufacturing industry," Working Papers 1307, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    13. Sérgio Kannebley & Júlia Sekkel & Bruno Araújo, 2010. "Economic performance of Brazilian manufacturing firms: a counterfactual analysis of innovation impacts," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 339-353, April.
    14. Egbetokun, A & Siyanbola, W & Olamade, O & Adeniyi, A & Irefin, I, 2008. "Innovation in Nigerian SMEs: types and impact," MPRA Paper 25338, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2008.
    15. Cyrielle Gaglio & Erika Kraemer-Mbula & Edward Lorenz, 2022. "Digitalization, Innovation and Productivity in South African Micro and Small Enterprises," GREDEG Working Papers 2022-19, Groupe de REcherche en Droit, Economie, Gestion (GREDEG CNRS), Université Côte d'Azur, France.
    16. Diana Suárez, 2015. "This paper analyzes changes in the firm’s innovative strategy and how this impacts firm’s performance. The methodology is based on a cluster analysis over 800 Argentinean manufacturing firms with info," Globelics Working Paper Series 2015-04, Globelics - Global Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems, Aalborg University, Department of Business and Management.
    17. Cassoni, Adriana & Ramada, Magdalena, 2010. "Innovation, R&D Investment and Productivity: Uruguayan Manufacturing Firms," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 1973, Inter-American Development Bank.
    18. Gaglio, Cyrielle & Kraemer-Mbula, Erika & Lorenz, Edward, 2022. "The effects of digital transformation on innovation and productivity: Firm-level evidence of South African manufacturing micro and small enterprises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    19. Babutsidze, Zakaria, 2007. "How Do Consumers Make Choices? A Summary of Evidence from Marketing and Psychology," MERIT Working Papers 2007-005, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    20. A.A. Egbetokun & A.A. Adeniyi & W.O. Siyanbola & O.O. Olamade, 2012. "The types and intensity of innovation in developing country SMEs: evidences from a Nigerian subsectoral study," International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(1/2), pages 98-112.
    21. Crespi G.A. & Tacsir E. & Vargas F., 2014. "Innovation dynamics and productivity : evidence for Latin America," MERIT Working Papers 2014-092, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technological Change; Research and Development; Innovation; Productivity; Manufacturing Industry; Total Factor Productivity; Brazil;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

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