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on Small Business Management |
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Issue of 2014‒05‒09
nine papers chosen by Joao Carlos Correia Leitao Universidade da Beira Interior and Universidade de Lisboa |
| By: | Segarra Blasco, Agustí, 1958-; Teruel, Mercedes |
| Abstract: | This paper analyses the effect of R&D investment on firm growth. We use an extensive sample of Spanish manufacturing and service firms. The database comprises diverse waves of Spanish Community Innovation Survey and covers the period 2004–2008. First, a probit model corrected for sample selection analyses the role of innovation on the probability of being a high-growth firm (HGF). Second, a quantile regression technique is applied to explore the determinants of firm growth. Our database shows that a small number of firms experience fast growth rates in terms of sales or employees. Our results reveal that R&D investments positively affect the probability of becoming a HGF. However, differences appear between manufacturing and service firms. Finally, when we study the impact of R&D investment on firm growth, quantile estimations show that internal R&D presents a significant positive impact for the upper quantiles, while external R&D shows a significant positive impact up to the median. Keywords : High-growth firms, Firm growth, Innovation activity. JEL Classifications : L11, L25, L26, O30 |
| Keywords: | Empreses -- Creixement, Innovacions tecnològiques, Emprenedoria, Investigació industrial, 33 - Economia, |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:urv:wpaper:2072/228402&r=sbm |
| By: | Cunningham, James (National University of Ireland); Link, Albert (University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics) |
| Abstract: | This paper advances our understanding of university-industry research and development (R&D) collaborations. These strategic relationships are a dimension of entrepreneurial activity, and they are thus important drivers of economic growth and development. Business collaboration with universities increases the efficiency and effectiveness of industrial investments. Previous studies have found that universities are more likely to collaborate with industry if the business is mature and large, is engaged in exploratory internal R&D, and there are not major intellectual property (IP) issues between both parties. Businesses gain from such collaborations through increased commercialisation probabilities and economies of technological scope. Based on publicly available data collected by the Science-to-Business Marketing Research Centre of Germany as part of a European Commission project, our paper focuses on two key questions. First, why are there cross-country differences in the extent to which universities collaborate with business in R&D? Second, are there covariates with these differences that might offer insight into policy prescriptions and policy levers for enhancing the extent to which such collaboration takes place? We find that access is positive and statistically significant in relation to fostering university business R&D collaborations. Our results, albeit that they are tempered by a small sample of data, have implications how national innovation systems support further harmonization of IP regimes across universities and how universities priorities its own investments and incentives. |
| Keywords: | R&D collaborations; entrepreneurship; university-industry partnerships; European Union |
| JEL: | O31 O32 O33 O38 |
| Date: | 2014–04–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ris:uncgec:2014_003&r=sbm |
| By: | Michael Fritsch; Michael Wyrwich |
| Abstract: | We use the historical self-employment rate as an indicator of a regional culture of entrepreneurship and link this measure to economic growth in recent periods. The results indicate that German regions with a high level of entrepreneurship in the mid-1920s have higher start-up rates about 80 years later. Furthermore, we find that the effect of current start-up activity on regional employment is significantly higher in regions with a pronounced entrepreneurial culture. We conclude that a regional culture of entrepreneurship is an important resource for regional growth. |
| Keywords: | Entrepreneurship, economic development, self-employment, new business formation, entrepreneurship culture, institutions |
| JEL: | L26 R11 O11 |
| Date: | 2014–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:egu:wpaper:1411&r=sbm |
| By: | Juan Luis Santos; Tomás Mancha; Jagoda Anna Kaszowska |
| Abstract: | In this work we analyze the importance of service innovation in the entrepreneurial and business activity in five countries that represent a 65 percent of the population of the Middle East. We study the characteristics of the owners of firms in the service sector according to the Standard Industrial Classification. We highlight the differences between services and industries with respect to innovation. Then we analyze the determinants of service innovation in this set of countries during the period 2001-2008 and the role of individual characteristics such as gender, age, skills and perception of business owners’ status. We estimate the most important factors for innovation in services sector and we compare them with the ones of manufacturing. |
| Keywords: | Middle East, Service innovation, Innovative entrepreneur, Service sector |
| Date: | 2014–03 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:uae:sermed:24&r=sbm |
| By: | Stefano Bianchini; Giulio Bottazzi; Federico Tamagni |
| Abstract: | Theoretical and empirical studies of industry dynamics have extensively focused on the process of growth. Theory predicts that production efficiency, profitability and financial status are central channels through which some firms can survive, grow and eventually achieve outstanding growth performance. Is the same conceptual framework a convincing explanation to account for persistent corporate high growth? Exploiting panels of Italian, Spanish, and French firms we find no evidence that this is the case: companies experiencing persistent high growth are not more productive nor more profitable, and do not display peculiarly sounder financial conditions than firms that only exhibit high, but not persistent, growth performance. The finding is robust across countries, across sectors displaying different innovation patterns, and also controlling for demographic characteristics such as age and size. |
| Keywords: | High-growth firms, Persistent high-growth, Productivity, Firm age, Firm size |
| Date: | 2014–04–05 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ssa:lemwps:2014/11&r=sbm |
| By: | Raffaello Bronzini (Bank of Italy); Paolo Piselli (Bank of Italy) |
| Abstract: | This paper evaluates the impact of an R&D subsidy program implemented in a region of northern Italy on innovation by beneficiary firms. In order to verify whether the subsidies enabled firms to increase patenting activity, we exploit the mechanism used to allot the funds. Since only projects that scored above a certain threshold received the subsidy, we use a sharp regression discontinuity design to compare the number of patent applications, and the probability of submitting one, of subsidized firms with those of unsubsidized firms close to the cut-off. We find that the program had a significant impact on the number of patents, more markedly in the case of smaller firms. Our results show that the program was also successful in increasing the probability of applying for a patent, but only in the case of smaller firms. |
| Keywords: | research and development, investment incentives, regression discontinuity design, patents |
| JEL: | R0 H2 L10 |
| Date: | 2014–04 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_960_14&r=sbm |
| By: | Tischler, Joachim |
| Abstract: | Young technology ventures are strongly affected by technological environmental conditions. In the light of opportunity theory, this study focuses on the interaction of a young firm’s technological base and the pace of technological development in its field. It distinguishes three technological characteristics: radicalness, scope, and the degree of collaborative development. Empirical results support the hypothesis that young technology-based firms commercializing radical technologies grow faster in rapidly developing technology fields. By contrast, young firms commercializing technologies that are developed through research collaborations with established firms outperform others when the pace of technological progress is relatively slow. This study provides empirical evidence of a beneficial interplay between technological characteristics and technological environment and offers a modified patent-citation-based criterion for measuring the pace of technological development in different technology fields. -- |
| Keywords: | academic spin-off,technology venture,pace of technological progress,patent data,technological base |
| JEL: | L25 L26 M13 O33 |
| Date: | 2014–04–18 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:esprep:96156&r=sbm |
| By: | Nedon, Verena; Herstatt, Cornelius |
| Abstract: | The existing literature on open innovation strongly emphasizes on the organizational level, while neglecting the people side and especially the perspective of employees working in OIprojects. This study analyzes determinants of R&D employees' knowledge exchange in OIprojects by means of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and a literature review regarding motivational factors influencing individuals' attitude toward knowledge exchange. An online survey amongst 133 R&D employees was conducted and data was analyzed through variancebased structural equation modeling (PLS). In our sample, subjective norm had by far the strongest impact on employees' intention to exchange their knowledge in OI-projects, although attitude and perceived behavioral control also showed highly significant and positive effects on intention. From all five identified motivational factors, enjoyment in helping was found to have the strongest influence on attitude, followed by intrinsic rewards and sense of self-worth. Extrinsic rewards and reciprocity did not show any effect on attitude. -- |
| Keywords: | open innovation,interorganizational cooperation,R&D partnerships,knowledge exchange,knowledge sharing,R&D employees,theory of planned behavior,TPB,motivation,structural equation modeling |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:tuhtim:83&r=sbm |
| By: | Dillon, Stuart; Vossen, Gottfried |
| Abstract: | Cloud sourcing and cloud computing have become de-facto standards in recent years for a range of applications. Cloud solutions are attractive for a number of reasons including ease of use, pricing, availability, scalability, and reliability. In particular, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) whose core competencies do not include Information Technology (IT) can benefit from cloud sourcing, since they can essentially outsource their IT to an external provider. Previous empirical research on cloud sourcing in SMEs, including work by one of the authors, has largely focused on single context (country) cloud adoption issues. This research makes a significant contribution to this emerging field by conducting an international survey of cloud computing adoption and perspectives of SMEs, across two countries: Germany and New Zealand, and seeks to clarify and compare their views of cloud sourcing. Starting with the actual IT situation, we show the prerequisites as well as the reasons in favour of and against a use of the cloud. We then show that the views of SMEs differ in some significant respects between the two countries, and we draw conclusions that can help towards a better design and delivery of cloud software and services that suit SMEs. -- |
| Keywords: | Cloud Computing,Cloud Sourcing,Cloud Solutions,Small and Medium Enterprises,SME,DE-NZ comparison |
| Date: | 2014 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ercisw:19&r=sbm |