Innovation and productivity in SMEs : empirical evidence from Italy / Bronwyn H. Hall, Francesca Lotti, Jacques Mairesse.
Material type: TextSeries: Working paper series (National Bureau of Economic Research) ; no. 14594.Publication details: Cambridge, Mass. : National Bureau of Economic Research, 2008Description: 34 p. : ill. ; 22 cmSubject(s): Small business -- Italy | Technological innovations -- Italy -- Econometric modelsLOC classification: HB1 | .N38 no. 14594Online resources: Click here to access online Summary: Innovation in SMEs exhibits some peculiar features that most traditional indicators of innovation activity do not capture. Therefore, in this paper, we develop a structural model of innovation which incorporates information on innovation success from firm surveys along with the usual R&D expenditures and productivity measures. We then apply the model to data on Italian SMEs from the "Survey on Manufacturing Firms" conducted by Mediocredito-Capitalia covering the period 1995-2003. The model is estimated in steps, following the logic of firms' decisions and outcomes: in the first, R&D intensity is linked to a set of firm and market characteristics. We find that international competition fosters R&D intensity, especially for high-tech firms. Firm size, R&D intensity, along with investment in equipment enhances the likelihood of having both process and product innovation. Both these kinds of innovation have a positive impact on firm's productivity, especially process innovation. Among SMEs, larger and older firms seem to be less productive.Item type | Current library | Collection | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode |
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Book | University of Macedonia Library Βιβλιοστάσιο Β (Stack Room B) | Research Papers | HB1.N38 no. 14594 (Browse shelf (Opens below)) | 1 | Available | 0013116375 |
Includes bibliographical references (p. 18-21).
Innovation in SMEs exhibits some peculiar features that most traditional indicators of innovation activity do not capture. Therefore, in this paper, we develop a structural model of innovation which incorporates information on innovation success from firm surveys along with the usual R&D expenditures and productivity measures. We then apply the model to data on Italian SMEs from the "Survey on Manufacturing Firms" conducted by Mediocredito-Capitalia covering the period 1995-2003. The model is estimated in steps, following the logic of firms' decisions and outcomes: in the first, R&D intensity is linked to a set of firm and market characteristics. We find that international competition fosters R&D intensity, especially for high-tech firms. Firm size, R&D intensity, along with investment in equipment enhances the likelihood of having both process and product innovation. Both these kinds of innovation have a positive impact on firm's productivity, especially process innovation. Among SMEs, larger and older firms seem to be less productive.
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