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on Small Business Management |
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Issue of 2013‒01‒26
ten papers chosen by Joao Carlos Correia Leitao University of Beira Interior and Technical University of Lisbon |
| By: | Tamayo, M. P.; Huergo, E. |
| Abstract: | The offshoring of high-tech services has greatly increased in recent years, with consequences for firms demand for skilled employment in firms. This paper specifically analyzes the relationship between R&D offshoring and the demand for R&D employment using firm-level data for Spanish manufacturing and services companies during the period 2004-2009. Estimating different specifications with panel data techniques, we find that this association is statistically positive. In particular, for services firms a 1 percentage point increase in R&D offshoring raises the demand for researchers by about 11%. This suggests the existence of complementarity among them as productive inputs. |
| Keywords: | R&D offshoring; wages; skilled employment |
| JEL: | F16 O32 L24 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:43970&r=sbm |
| By: | Ceren Ozgen (Department of Spatial Economics, VU University Amsterdam); Peter Nijkamp (Department of Spatial Economics, VU University Amsterdam); Jacques Poot (National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis, University of Waikato) |
| Abstract: | To investigate econometrically whether cultural diversity of a firm’s employees boosts innovation, we create a unique linked employer-employee dataset that combines data from two innovation surveys in The Netherlands with administrative and tax data. We calculate three distinct measures of diversity. We find that firms that employ fewer foreign workers are generally more innovative, but that diversity among a firm’s foreign workers is positively associated with innovation activity. The positive impact of diversity on product or process innovations is greater among firms in knowledge-intensive sectors and in internationally-oriented sectors. The impact is robust to accounting for endogeneity of foreign employment. |
| Keywords: | immigration, innovation, cultural diversity, knowledge spillovers, linked administrative and survey data |
| JEL: | D22 F22 O31 |
| Date: | 2013–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nor:wpaper:2013003&r=sbm |
| By: | Slivko, Olga |
| Abstract: | This article analyzes how the perceived effectiveness of intellectual property protection and competitive pressure affect firms' innovation strategy choices, concretely, whether to abstain from innovation, to introduce products that are known in the market but new to the firm (imitation) or to introduce market novelties (innovation). Using a sample of 1253 German firms from manufacturing and services sectors I show that the perceived effectiveness of patent protection positively affects firms' propensity to imitate and to innovate. Having a small or a medium number of competitors positively affects firms' propensity to imitate and to innovate as compared to being a monopolist or having a large number of competitors. However, this effect varies with the perceived patent protection effectiveness. If the perceived patent protection effectiveness is low or medium, both innovation and imitation are enhanced, whereas if it is high, only innovation is enhanced. -- |
| Keywords: | Innovation,imitation,competitive pressure,intellectual property protection |
| JEL: | C35 L13 O31 O34 |
| Date: | 2012 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:12089&r=sbm |
| By: | Becker, Sascha O. (CAGE @ Warwick University ; CEPR ; CESifo ; Ifo and IZA); Hvide, Hans K. (University of Bergen ; CEPR and University of Aberdeen) |
| Abstract: | In the large literature on firm performance, economists have given little attention to entrepreneurs. We use deaths of more than 500 entrepreneurs as a source of exogenous variation, and ask whether this variation can explain shifts in firm performance. Using longitudinal data, we find large and sustained effects of en- trepreneurs at all levels of the performance distribution. Entrepreneurs strongly affect firm growth patterns of both very young firms and for firms that have begun to mature. We do not find signficant differences between small and larger firms, family and non-family firms, nor between firms located in urban and rural areas, but we do find stronger effects for founders with high human capital. Overall, the results suggest that an often overlooked factor – individual entrepreneurs – plays a large role in affecting firm performance. Key words: entrepreneurship ; firm performance ; human capital. JEL classification: D21 ; D24 ; J23 ; L11 ; L25 ; G39 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wrk:warwec:1002&r=sbm |
| By: | Barge-Gil, Andrés; López, Alberto |
| Abstract: | The link between R&D and productivity has been widely analyzed. However, these innovation activities have been considered as a whole. This paper analyzes the differentiated effect of research and development on productivity and tests the existence of complementarity between these activities. We find evidence supporting the existence of a direct effect of both innovation activities. Most interesting, our results suggest that there is complementarity between research and development in determining productivity. |
| Keywords: | R&D; Productivity; Complementarity |
| JEL: | O33 |
| Date: | 2013–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:43808&r=sbm |
| By: | Martin Falk |
| Abstract: | This study investigates the determinants of bilateral Greenfield FDI projects and flows in knowledge intensive business services from OECD/BRIC countries to the EU countries for the period 2003-2010. Greenfield FDI projects are distinguished by type of activity: (i) business services, (ii) design, development and testing activities, (iii) headquarters activities and (iv) R&D services. Another aim of this study is to provide new empirical evidence on the patterns of Greenfield investments in knowledge intensive business services over time, source country and destination country. For Austria, the number of Greenfield investments in headquarter functions remains stable over time whereas Greenfield investments in R&D and related activities declined during the sample period. The same holds true for the number of jobs generated through greenfield investments. The results using panel count data models show that wage costs, tertiary education, corporate taxes, having a common border and sharing a common language all play a significant role in determining bilateral Greenfield FDI projects in knowledge intensive services. However, the impact of corporate taxation and labour costs differs widely across the functions and does not play a role in Greenfield investments in R&D and development, design and testing services. |
| Keywords: | Greenfield foreign direct investment, knowledge intensive business services, headquarter functions, R&D activities, gravity equation, panel data, FDI determinants |
| JEL: | F23 |
| Date: | 2012–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:wsr:ecbook:2012:i:iv-002&r=sbm |
| By: | Mathilde Aubry (EM Normandie, Métis Research Department, France); Jean Bonnet (University of Caen Basse-Normandie - CREM UMR CNRS 6211, France); Patricia Renou-Maissant (University of Caen Basse-Normandie - CREM UMR CNRS 6211, France) |
| Abstract: | We study the influences of new firms startups on growth in regional and macroeconomic dimensions in France using a quarterly data basis over the 1993-2011 period. We find that fluctuations in GDP are an early indicator of new firm startups. Nevertheless the most important relationships are found between unemployment rate and new firms startups. Entrepreneurship is mainly driven by necessity motives that have consequences upon potential of growth of new firms startups in most of the French regions. |
| Keywords: | New firm formation, Business cycle, Schumpeter effect, «refugee» effect, panel data |
| JEL: | L26 E32 R11 |
| Date: | 2013–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tut:cremwp:201304&r=sbm |
| By: | Petra Gibcus; Erik Stam |
| Abstract: | The early growth of firms is a dynamic process that is difficult to manage and to analyse. Accordingly methodological difficulties have been identified in many studies. This paper uses systematic cohort and longitudinal methodologies to analyse the relationship between dynamic capabilities and new firm growth. Using a panel study of 647 firms, we examine how new firm growth is related to dynamic capabilities. We found no evidence of any effect of dynamic capabilities on the growth of new firms. A longitudinal analysis of the data reveals that especially firm investments over time drive subsequent firm growth, next to growth intentions. |
| Date: | 2012–12–28 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:eim:papers:h201219&r=sbm |
| By: | Alina Sorgner; Michael Fritsch |
| Abstract: | Often, a person will become an entrepreneur only after a period of dependent employment, suggesting that occupational choices precede entrepreneurial choices. We investigate the relationship between occupational choice and self-employment. The findings suggest that the occupational choice of future entrepreneurs at the time of labor market entry is partly guided by a taste for skill variety, the prospect of high<br /> earnings, and occupational earnings risk. Entrepreneurial intentions may also emerge after gaining work experience in a chosen occupation. We find that occupations characterized by high levels of unemployment and earnings risk, relatively many job opportunities, and high self-employment rates foster the founding of an own business. Also, people who fail to achieve an occupation-specific income have a tendency for selfemployment. |
| Keywords: | Entrepreneurial choice, occupation-specific determinants of entrepreneurship, risk preferences, taste for variety |
| JEL: | L26 J24 D01 |
| Date: | 2013 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp533&r=sbm |
| By: | Behera, Smruti Ranjan Behera; Dua , Pami Dua; Goldar, Bishwanath Goldar |
| Abstract: | This paper explores the technology spillover effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Indian manufacturing industries across different clusters in India. To measure the spillover effect to domestic firms in a particular cluster, a model is used that combines an innovative production function with a conventional one. The empirical findings reveal significant variations across clusters with regard to spillovers. While some clusters benefit from cluster-specific foreign presence and technology stock, a more commonly observed pattern is that domestic firms in a cluster gain from the presence of foreign firms in other clusters of the region and region-specific technology stock. |
| Keywords: | Foreign Direct Investment; Technology Spillover; Clusters; Firm location |
| JEL: | C23 C83 L60 |
| Date: | 2012–10–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:43840&r=sbm |