IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wiw/wus009/306.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Do different types of innovation rely on specific kinds of knowledge interactions?

Author

Listed:
  • Tödtling, Franz
  • Lehner, Patrick
  • Kaufmann, Alexander

Abstract

It is commonly accepted nowadays that innovations are brought forward in an interactive process of knowledge generation and application. The business sector, the science sector, and policy actors are involved in this process as has been stressed in concepts such as innovation systems and the network approach. It is still unclear, however, as to what extent different kinds of innovation rely on specific knowledge sources and links. More advanced innovations on the one hand might draw more on scientific knowledge, generated in universities and research organizations. Such knowledge is often exchanged in personal interactions at a local or regional level. Incremental innovations and the adoption of new technologies, on the other hand, seem to occur often in interaction with partners from the business sector also at higher spatial levels. In this paper we analyze such patterns of knowledge links. After dealing with knowledge interactions from a conceptual view and reviewing the relevant literature, we present an empirical analysis for Austria. The findings show that firms introducing more advanced innovations are relying to a higher extent on R&D and patents, and that they are cooperating more often with universities and research organizations. Firms having introduced less advanced innovations rely more on knowledge links with business services. Furthermore, the employment of researchers was identified as a key factor enhancing knowledge interactions of firms with universities. (authors' abstract)

Suggested Citation

  • Tödtling, Franz & Lehner, Patrick & Kaufmann, Alexander, 2008. "Do different types of innovation rely on specific kinds of knowledge interactions?," SRE-Discussion Papers 2008/01, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
  • Handle: RePEc:wiw:wus009:306
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://epub.wu.ac.at/306/
    File Function: original version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Catherine Beaudry & Stefano Breschi, 2003. "Are firms in clusters really more innovative?," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(4), pages 325-342.
    2. Bernhard Dachs & Bernd Ebersberger & Andreas Pyka, 2004. "Why do Firms Co-operate for Innovation? - A comparison of Austrian and Finnish CIS 3 results," Discussion Paper Series 255, Universitaet Augsburg, Institute for Economics.
    3. Paul A. David & Dominique Foray, "undated". "Economic Fundamentals of the Knowledge Society," Working Papers 02003, Stanford University, Department of Economics.
    4. Kaufmann, A. & Lehner, P. & Todtling, F., 2003. "Effects of the Internet on the spatial structure of innovation networks," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 402-424, September.
    5. Adam B. Jaffe & Manuel Trajtenberg & Rebecca Henderson, 1993. "Geographic Localization of Knowledge Spillovers as Evidenced by Patent Citations," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 108(3), pages 577-598.
    6. Philip Cooke & Carla De Laurentis & Franz Tödtling & Michaela Trippl, 2007. "Regional Knowledge Economies," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3957.
    7. Eric von Hippel & Ralph Katz, 2002. "Shifting Innovation to Users via Toolkits," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(7), pages 821-833, July.
    8. Bengt-ake Lundvall & Bjorn Johnson, 1994. "The Learning Economy," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 23-42.
    9. Luc Anselin & Attila Varga & Zoltan Acs, 2008. "Local Geographic Spillovers Between University Research and High Technology Innovations," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 9, pages 95-121, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. David Angel, 2002. "Inter-firm Collaboration and Technology Development Partnerships Within US Manufacturing Industries," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(4), pages 333-344.
    11. Michaela Trippl & Franz Todtling, 2007. "Developing Biotechnology Clusters in Non-high Technology Regions—The Case of Austria," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1), pages 47-67.
    12. Hagedoorn, John, 2002. "Inter-firm R&D partnerships: an overview of major trends and patterns since 1960," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 477-492, May.
    13. Michael Fritsch, 2003. "Does R&D-Cooperation Behavior Differ between Regions?," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 25-39.
    14. Baptista, Rui & Swann, Peter, 1998. "Do firms in clusters innovate more?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 525-540, September.
    15. Bottazzi, Laura & Peri, Giovanni, 2003. "Innovation and spillovers in regions: Evidence from European patent data," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 687-710, August.
    16. Oerlemans, L.A.G. & Meeus, M.T.H. & Boekema, F.W.M., 2000. "Learning, innovation and proximity. An empirical exploration of patterns of learning : A case study," Other publications TiSEM ce0da1fd-7f80-4825-883b-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    17. Von Hippel, Eric A. & Katz, Ralph, 2002. "Shifting Innovation to Users Via Toolkits," Working papers 4232-02, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    18. Bjørn T. Asheim, 2007. "Industrial Districts as ‘Learning Regions’: A Condition for Prosperity," Chapters, in: Roel Rutten & Frans Boekema (ed.), The Learning Region, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    19. Elisa Giuliani, 2007. "Networks and Heterogeneous Performance of Cluster Firms," Chapters, in: Koen Frenken (ed.), Applied Evolutionary Economics and Economic Geography, chapter 8, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    20. Fritsch, Michael & Franke, Grit, 2004. "Innovation, regional knowledge spillovers and R&D cooperation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 245-255, March.
    21. Holger Graf, 2006. "Networks in the Innovation Process," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4249.
    22. Koen Frenken (ed.), 2007. "Applied Evolutionary Economics and Economic Geography," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4172.
    23. Michael Fritsch, 2004. "Cooperation and the efficiency of regional R&D activities," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 28(6), pages 829-846, November.
    24. DeBresson, Chris & Amesse, Fernand, 1991. "Networks of innovators :A review and introduction to the issue," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 363-379, October.
    25. Kaufmann, Alexander & Todtling, Franz, 2001. "Science-industry interaction in the process of innovation: the importance of boundary-crossing between systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 791-804, May.
    26. Michael Fritsch, 2001. "Co-operation in Regional Innovation Systems," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(4), pages 297-307.
    27. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
    28. Todtling, Franz & Trippl, Michaela, 2005. "One size fits all?: Towards a differentiated regional innovation policy approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1203-1219, October.
    29. McKelvey, Maureen & Alm, Hakan & Riccaboni, Massimo, 2003. "Does co-location matter for formal knowledge collaboration in the Swedish biotechnology-pharmaceutical sector?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 483-501, March.
    30. Harald Bathelt & Andersand Malmberg & Peter Maskell, 2002. "Clusters and Knowledge Local Buzz, Global Pipelines and the Process of Knowledge Creation," DRUID Working Papers 02-12, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
    31. Bozeman, Barry, 2000. "Technology transfer and public policy: a review of research and theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(4-5), pages 627-655, April.
    32. Franz Tödtling & Patrick Lehner & Michaela Trippl, 2005. "Innovation in knowledge intensive industries: The nature and geography of knowledge links," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(8), pages 1035-1058, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Franz Toedtling & Patrick Lehner, 2006. "Do Different Types of Innovation Require Specific Kinds of Knowledge Links?," ERSA conference papers ersa06p513, European Regional Science Association.
    2. Tödtling, Franz & Lehner, Patrick & Trippl, Michaela, 2004. "Knowledge intensive industries, networks, and collective learning," SRE-Discussion Papers 2004/02, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    3. Franz Tödtling & Michaela Trippl, 2013. "Innovation and Knowledge Links in Metropolitan Regions: The Case of Vienna," Advances in Spatial Science, in: Johan Klaesson & Börje Johansson & Charlie Karlsson (ed.), Metropolitan Regions, edition 127, chapter 0, pages 451-472, Springer.
    4. Michaela Trippl & Joshua von Gabain & Franz Tödtling, 2006. "Policy agents as catalysts of knowledge links in the biotechnology sector," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2006_01, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    5. Charlie Karlsson & Gunther Maier & Michaela Trippl & Iulia Siedschlag & Gavin Murphy, 2010. "ICT and Regional Economic Dynamics: A Literature Review," JRC Research Reports JRC59920, Joint Research Centre.
    6. Michaela Trippl, 2006. "Cross-Border Regional Innovation Systems," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2006_05, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    7. Franz Tödtling & Christoph Höglinger & Markus Grillitsch, 2012. "Knowledge relations and innovation from a regional perspective," Chapters, in: Roberta Capello & Tomaz Ponce Dentinho (ed.), Networks, Space and Competitiveness, chapter 5, pages 107-134, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Tödtling, Franz & Trippl, Michaela & Lengauer, Lukas, 2008. "Towards regional knowledge economics. Routes and policy options," SRE-Discussion Papers 2008/05, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    9. Franz Tödtling & Markus Grillitsch, 2014. "Types of Innovation, Competencies of Firms, and External Knowledge Sourcing—Findings from Selected Sectors and Regions of Europe," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 5(2), pages 330-356, June.
    10. Lee, Chang-Yang, 2009. "Do firms in clusters invest in R&D more intensively? Theory and evidence from multi-country data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 1159-1171, September.
    11. Michael Fritsch, 2003. "How and Why Does the Efficiency of Regional Innovation Systems Differ?," Advances in Spatial Science, in: Johannes Bröcker & Dirk Dohse & Rüdiger Soltwedel (ed.), Innovation Clusters and Interregional Competition, chapter 5, pages 79-96, Springer.
    12. Fritsch, Michael, 2003. "Do regional systems of innovation matter?," Freiberg Working Papers 2003/03, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    13. Lukas Lengauer & Eva Nussmüller & Michaela Trippl & Franz Tödtling, 2008. "Innovation and Knowledge Sourcing in the Vienna ICT Manufacturing Sector," SRE-Disc sre-disc-2008_04, Institute for Multilevel Governance and Development, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    14. Charlie Karlsson & Gunther Maier & Michaela Trippl & Iulia Siedschlag & Robert Owen & Gavin Murphy, 2008. "ICT Diffusion, Innovation Systems, Globalisation and Regional Economic Dynamics: Theory and Empirical Evidence," Papers WP233, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    15. Lutz Eigenhüller & Nicole Litzel & Stefan Fuchs, 2015. "Who with whom: Co-operation activities in a cluster region," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(3), pages 469-497, August.
    16. Tödtling, Franz & Trippl, Michaela, 2004. "One size fits all? Towards a differentiated policy approach with respect to regional innovation systems," SRE-Discussion Papers 2004/01, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    17. Christos Kolympiris & Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, 2013. "Geographic scope of proximity effects among small life sciences firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 1059-1086, May.
    18. Stefan Luethi & Alain Thierstein & Michael Bentlage, 2011. "Interlocking firm networks in the German knowledge economy. On local networks and global connectivity," ERSA conference papers ersa10p120, European Regional Science Association.
    19. Sverre Herstad & Øyvind Pålshaugen & Bernd Ebersberger, 2011. "Industrial Innovation Collaboration in a Capital Region Context," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 2(4), pages 507-532, December.
    20. Todtling, Franz & Trippl, Michaela, 2005. "One size fits all?: Towards a differentiated regional innovation policy approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1203-1219, October.

    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:wiw:wus009:306. 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: WU Library (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://research.wu.ac.at/ .

    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.