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on Knowledge Management and Knowledge Economy |
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Issue of 2013‒03‒02
eleven papers chosen by Laura Stefanescu European Research Centre of Managerial Studies in Business Administration |
| By: | Alessandra Colombelli (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (UNS) - CNRS : UMR6227); Jackie Krafft (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (UNS) - CNRS : UMR6227); Francesco Quatraro (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (UNS) - CNRS : UMR6227) |
| Abstract: | The paper analyzes the effects of the properties of firms' knowledge base on the survival likelihood of firms. Drawing upon the analysis of the patterns of co-occurrence of technological classes in patent applications, we derive the coherence, variety and cognitive distance indexes, accounting respectively for technological complementarity, differentiation and (dis)similarity in the firms' patent portfolios. The results of our analysis are in line with the previous literature, showing that innovation enhances the survival likelihood of firms. In addition, we show that the search strategies at work in the development of firms' knowledge base matter in reducing the likelihood of a failure event. Knowledge coherence and variety appear to be positively related to firms' survival, while cognitive distance exerts a negative effect. We conclude that firms able to exploit the accumulated technological competences have more chances to be successful in competing durably in the market arena, and derive some policy implications concerning the role of public intervention in the orientation of search efforts in local contexts. |
| Keywords: | Knowledge coherence; variety; cognitive distance; firms' survival |
| Date: | 2013–01–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-00686007&r=knm |
| By: | Andrea Gauselmann |
| Abstract: | Innovation systems abroad become more and more important to multinational enterprises (MNEs) as sources of knowledge and technology. On the other hand, MNEs’ foreign subsidiaries can be considered agents of technological and economic development in their target location region. Applying a logit estimation, this discussion paper investigates which firm- and region-specific determinants influence cooperations in the area of research and development (R&D) between the foreign subsidiary and the regional innovation system. Results suggest that especially the foreign subsidiary’s mandate in terms of R&D and management, its size and the regional knowledge stock are positively associated with these co-operations. The analysis focuses on posttransition economies, using the example of five selected CEE countries and East Germany. We exploit a unique dataset – the IWH FDI Micro Database – which holds information on 1,245 foreign subsidiaries in this region. |
| Keywords: | foreign direct investment, Central East Europe, East Germany, R&D-cooperations |
| JEL: | F23 O30 P13 P20 |
| Date: | 2013–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iwh:dispap:4-13&r=knm |
| By: | Gunnar Pippel |
| Abstract: | In the literature on environmental innovations R&D collaborations have been identified as a critical determinant of a firm’s environmental innovation performance. However, the literature suggests that R&D collaboration is not always beneficial. Therefore, a more elaborated analysis of the effects of R&D collaborations on a firm’s environmental innovation performance is necessary. This paper investigates the impact of R&D col-laborations with different partner types such as customers, competitors, suppliers, uni-versities, governmental research institutes, consultants and other firms within the same firm group on a firm’s environmental innovation performance. In addition, this paper addresses the question of whether the diversity of R&D collaboration partners is im-portant for the environmental innovation performance. Firm-level data from 2,337 Ger-man service and manufacturing firms are used in the regression analysis. The results suggest that R&D collaboration with suppliers, customers, universities, governmental research institutes, consultants and other firms within the same firm group has a signifi-cantly positive impact on a firm’s environmental innovation performance, whereas col-laboration with competitors has no significant impact. The diversity of R&D collaboration partners has a significantly positive impact on a firm’s environmental innovation performance. |
| Keywords: | R&D, collaboration, environment, innovation |
| JEL: | O31 O32 |
| Date: | 2013–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iwh:dispap:5-13&r=knm |
| By: | Kroll, Henning; Schricke, Esther |
| Abstract: | In summary, our study has highlighted that technology transfer systems in China may involve more channels, involve more partners, and in global terms be more dynamic than commonly assumed - at least in the case of well-developed urban innovation systems such as Beijing. With certainty, the times where spin-offs had to be set up for a lack of other options are over. Instead, our survey documents a vibrant set of interactions between not only science and industry but also up and down the value chain within industry itself. In terms of quantities, at least, this system does no longer appear inferior or very differently structured than those of technologically more advanced nations. Moreover, most of the surveyed companies could not find fault with many of the commonly assumed obstructions of knowledge exchange in China - such as lack of trust or unfavourable and poorly implemented regulations. -- |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisifr:r22013&r=knm |
| By: | Gilbert Giacomoni (CGS - Centre de Gestion Scientifique - École Nationale Supérieure des Mines - Paris (ParisTech), IRG - Institut de Recherche en Gestion - Université Paris XII - Paris Est Créteil Val-de-Marne : EA2354 - Université Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée); Rémi Jardat (ISTEC - Institut supérieur des Sciences, Techniques et Economie Commerciales - ISTEC, CNAM Paris - Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers - Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (CNAM)) |
| Abstract: | D'après l'Organisation Mondiale de la Propriété Intellectuelle et l'Organisation Mondiale du Commerce, un élément de nouveauté inclut des caractéristiques nouvelles ne faisant pas partie du fond de connaissances existantes dans le domaine technique considéré. Nous partons de l'idée qu'un concept d'objet, de procédés, d'organisations ou de marchés est novateur quand il y a survenance d'un processus d'hybridation de fonds de connaissances jusque-là indépendants à l'issue duquel, de nouvelles identités émergent sur un nouveau fond de connaissance. Nous proposons une théorie générale pour concevoir de telles hybridations au cours d'un processus d'exploration sélective impliquant la rationalité, l'imaginaire, la mémoire, l'analogie et la réflexivité. |
| Keywords: | innovation, invention, création, conception, mémoire, imaginaire, hybridation, analogie, réflexivité, |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:wpaper:hal-00786648&r=knm |
| By: | Muhamed Kudic; Katja Guhr |
| Abstract: | We study how firm innovativeness is related to individual cooperation events and the structure and dynamics of firms’ ego-networks employing a unique panel dataset for the full population of 233 German laser source manufactures between 1990 and 2010. Firm innovativeness is measured by yearly patent applications as well as patent grants with a two year time-lag. Network measures are calculated on the basis of 570 knowledge-related publicly funded R&D alliances. Estimation results from a panel data count model with fixed effects are suggestive of direct innovation effects due to individual cooperation events, but only as long as structural ego-network characteristics are neglected. Innovativeness is robustly related to ego-network size and ego-network brokerage whereas ego-network density reveals some surprising results. |
| Keywords: | R&D cooperation, ego-networks, firm innovativeness |
| JEL: | L25 O32 D85 |
| Date: | 2013–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iwh:dispap:6-13&r=knm |
| By: | John Gibson (University of Waikato); David McKenzie (The World Bank) |
| Abstract: | This paper uses a unique survey to examine the nature and extent of knowledge flows that result from the international mobility of researchers whose initial education was in small island countries. Current migrants produce substantially more research than similar-skilled return migrants and non-migrants. Return migrants have no greater research impact than individuals who never migrate but are the main source of research knowledge transfer between international and local researchers. Our results contrast with previous claims in the literature that too few migrant researchers ever return home to have much impact, and that there is no productivity gain to researchers from migration. |
| Keywords: | Diasporas, Knowledge networks, Scientific mobility |
| JEL: | J6 O3 R1 |
| Date: | 2013–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:crm:wpaper:1305&r=knm |
| By: | Schricke, Esther |
| Abstract: | The aim of this article was to investigate how far clusters in knowledge-intensive service industries have developed and what kind of agglomeration advantages they generate. Therefore the first step was to analyse which knowledge-intensive service industries exhibit spatial concentration. Based on this analysis, the absolute as well as the relative concentrations in these industries was examined at the NUTS 3 level. The results show that cluster structures have developed in some but not all knowledge-intensive industries of the service sector. A high measure of spatial concentration does not necessarily mean that a cluster exists, since especially in less urban region high localisation quotients are frequently ascribed to either one company or only a small number of companies. The knowledge-intensive services with cluster structures differ with regard to external effects, each of which becomes important: a highly qualified labour pool is by definition important for all knowledge-intensive industries of the service sector and fundamental for the existence of cluster structures in each of the examined services. Nevertheless there are however crucial differences regarding the significance of further external effects. Porter-externalities do not appear to stimulate competiveness in any of the examined industries of the service industry. However, none of the available studies explicitly examined the aspect of competition. Thus the interplay of agglomeration advantages needs to be researched further. The type of knowledge and the market environment should also be regarded as important factors (Orsenigo 2006: 201). Contact to local suppliers and customers in industries that are characterized by project work, such as the film and television industry or the media, are particularly important. Supporting clusters and networks is currently fashionable and is practised by different actors. The results show that cluster and network policies have to be focussed on the field of activity. It seems in any case sensible to expand the knowledge and education infrastructure in knowledge-intensive services which do not have cluster structures. The spatial proximity of actors in the innovation process or of suppliers and customers is not always advantageous. Too strong a focus on spatially concentrated exchange processes, leading to an isolation from global trends, can prove to have negative effects in the long term. In this respect the great importance of a qualified labour pool provides a starting point for policy measures that could also be useful for other fields of activity. This includes the development and financing of (partially specialised) educational institutions or measures. The appeal of the surroundings is also important to tie highly qualified staff to a region, as the discussion on a creative class (Florida 2002; 2005) also shows. While factors such as urbanity can hardly be influenced politically, there are certain initiatives regions can adopt to compensate for the lack of attractiveness. In regions where companies find it difficult to attract qualified staff from other regions higher education institutions are important sources of qualified staff. Therefore increasing the attractiveness of higher education institutions and of relevant study programmes are a first starting point. Likewise, the example of ITsax shows how companies can cooperate successfully in the area of recruitment. Furthermore, the provision of childcare facilities or international schools is important for the creation of attractive conditions particularly for women and / or international employees. -- |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:fisifr:r12013&r=knm |
| By: | Lai, Chung-hui |
| Abstract: | In this paper, the author shows how the introduction of a bargaining game structure into a standard R&D endogenous growth model can be a potential source of local indeterminacy. He also shows that on a high-growth path, the government, by directly engaging in R&D activities and using R&D subsidies, may not enhance economic growth. On a low-growth path, the government, by directly engaging in R&D activities and using R&D subsidies, may enhance economic growth. -- |
| Keywords: | government R&D,innovation,endogenous growth,bargaining,indeterminacy |
| JEL: | O30 O41 L00 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:ifwedp:201314&r=knm |
| By: | Nicholas Bloom; Paul Romer; Stephen Terry; John Van Reenen |
| Abstract: | When will reducing trade barriers against a low wage country cause innovation to increase in high wage regions like the US or EU? We develop a model where factors of production have costs of adjustment and so are partially "trapped" in producing old goods. Trade liberalization with a low wage country reduces the profitability of old goods and so the opportunity cost of innovating falls. Interestingly, the "China shock" is more likely to induce innovation than liberalization with high wage countries. These implications are consistent with a range of recent empirical evidence on the impact of China and offers a new mechanism for positive welfare effects of trade liberalization over and above the standard benefits of specialization and market expansion. Calibrations of our model to the recent experience of the US with China suggests that there will be faster long-run growth through innovation in the US and that, in the short run, this is magnified by the trapped factor effect. |
| Keywords: | Trade, innovation, China |
| JEL: | O33 F16 O38 J33 |
| Date: | 2013–02 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1189&r=knm |
| By: | Löschel, Andreas; Schymura, Michael |
| Abstract: | The assessment of climate change mitigation policies through economic modeling depends crucially on assumptions under which technological change has been incorporated in the model. Earlier climate-energy-economics modeling attempts heavily relied on the assumption of exogenous technological change. In this case, technological change is a function solely of time. However, such an approach seems insufficient, especially given developments in other fields of economic research that have helped to explain in more detail the process of technological change. A lot of research has been done hence on endogenizing technological change in large-scale models. The purpose of this paper is to summarize these efforts. We describe different model types and their treatment of exogenous technological change (autonomous energy efficiency improvements and backstop technologies) and endogenous technological change (including price inducement, learning-by-doing, investments in R & D and directed technical change). We conclude with some open questions and suggestions for future research. -- |
| Keywords: | Exogenous Technical Change,Endogenous Technological Change,Price inducement,Learning-by-doing,Directed Technical Change,Modeling |
| JEL: | C50 C68 O30 Q25 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:13007&r=knm |