IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nms/mamere/1861-9908_mrev_2010_2_gretzinger.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cooperation in Innovation Networks: The Case of Danish and German SMEs

Author

Listed:
  • Susanne Gretzinger
  • Holger Hinz
  • Wenzel Matiaske

Abstract

Information is a critical resource in innovation processes. External information can be helpful in innovation processes to complete them successfully. SMEs in particular are therefore advised to draw on consulting in innovation processes, as they cannot ensure the necessary information flow internally due to the lesser resources they have compared to larger companies. To promote economically relevant information of SMEs, the public sector provides specific advisory services. These services, however, are rarely utilized compared to direct customer and supplier contacts. From strategic management’s point of view, the involvement of intermediaries in the innovation process is accompanied by the risk of losing specific knowledge to the business environment. Based on an empirical comparative study of Danish and German SMEs – Danish companies utilize public as well as private consulting services more often – determinants of the usage of business consultancies in innovation processes are elicited.

Suggested Citation

  • Susanne Gretzinger & Holger Hinz & Wenzel Matiaske, 2010. "Cooperation in Innovation Networks: The Case of Danish and German SMEs," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 21(2), pages 193-216.
    • Handle: RePEc:nms:mamere:1861-9908_mrev_2010_2_gretzinger
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/0935-9915-2010-2-193
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Franz Todtling, 1998. "Innovation systems in regions of Europe: A comparative perspective," ERSA conference papers ersa98p421, European Regional Science Association.
    2. Poulfelt, Flemming & Paynee, Adrian, 1994. "Management consultants: Client and consultant perspectives," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 421-436, December.
    3. Michael Reinhard, 2001. "Information and knowledge transfer in Germany - the long road to greater efficiency," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 54(04), pages 14-17, January.
    4. Patrick Royston, 2004. "Multiple imputation of missing values," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 4(3), pages 227-241, September.
    5. Oliver Dannenberg & Jørn Damm Thaysen, 2005. "Innovationsnetzwerke bei Klein- und Mittelunternehmen: Ein binationaler Vergleich," Discussion Papers 008, Europa-Universität Flensburg, International Institute of Management.
    6. David Keeble & Frank Wilkinson, 1999. "Collective Learning and Knowledge Development in the Evolution of Regional Clusters of High Technology SMEs in Europe," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(4), pages 295-303.
    7. Cooke, Philip & Wills, David, 1999. "Small Firms, Social Capital and the Enhancement of Business Performance through Innovation Programmes," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 219-234, November.
    8. Stephan Duschek, 2004. "Inter-Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 15(1), pages 53-73.
    9. Von Hippel, Eric, 1978. "A customer-active paradigm for industrial product idea generation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 240-266, July.
    10. Susanne Gretzinger, 2008. "Strategic Outsourcing in the German Engine Building Industry. An Empirical Study Based on the Resource Dependence Approach," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 19(3), pages 200-228.
    11. Stephan Duschek, 2004. "Inter-Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 15(1), pages 53-73.
    12. Herbert A. Simon, 1955. "A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 69(1), pages 99-118.
    13. Bessant, John & Rush, Howard, 1995. "Building bridges for innovation: the role of consultants in technology transfer," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 97-114, January.
    14. Jörg Freiling, 2008. "RBV and the Road to the Control of External Organizations," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 19(1+2), pages 33-52.
    15. Susanne Gretzinger, 2008. "Strategic Outsourcing in the German Engine Building Industry. An Empirical Study Based on the Resource Dependence Approach," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 19(3), pages 200-228.
    16. Foss, Nicolai J., 1999. "Networks, capabilities, and competitive advantage," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, March.
    17. Hislop, Donald, 2002. "The client role in consultancy relations during the appropriation of technological innovations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 657-671, July.
    18. Stark, David & Vedres, Balázs, 2009. "Opening closure: Intercohesion and entrepreneurial dynamics in business groups," MPIfG Discussion Paper 09/3, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gretzinger, Susanne & Royer, Susanne, 2014. "Relational resources in value adding webs: The case of a Southern Danish firm cluster," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 117-131.
    2. Birgit Leick & Susanne Gretzinger, 2018. "Brokerage and governance for business networks: a metasynthesis-based discussion," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(4), pages 773-804, December.
    3. Reginald Masocha, 2019. "Normative Environmental Configuration of SMEs within the Sustainable Development Discourse in South Africa: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-13, November.

    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. Gretzinger, Susanne & Royer, Susanne, 2014. "Relational resources in value adding webs: The case of a Southern Danish firm cluster," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 117-131.
    2. Christine Gröneweg & Wenzel Matiaske, 2012. "?Gullivers Fesseln – Corporate Social Responsibility," Report 025, Werkstatt für Organisations- und Personalforschung.
    3. Reuter, Ute, 2011. "Der ressourcenbasierte Ansatz als theoretischer Bezugsrahmen: Grundlagen, Theoriebausteine und Prozessorientierung," Research Papers on Innovation, Services and Technology 3/2011, University of Stuttgart, Institute of Business Administration, Department I - Institute of Research & Development and Innovation Management.
    4. Reuter, Ute, 2011. "Der relationale ressourcenbasierte Ansatz als Weiterentwicklung des ressourcenbasierten Ansatzes unter Einbezug externer Ressourcen," Research Papers on Innovation, Services and Technology 4/2011, University of Stuttgart, Institute of Business Administration, Department I - Institute of Research & Development and Innovation Management.
    5. Pulles, Niels J. & Schiele, Holger, 2013. "Social Capital Determinants of Preferential Resource Allocation in Regional Clusters," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 24(2), pages 96-113.
    6. Rafał Haffer, 2018. "Supply Chain Performance Measurement System Of Logistics Service Providers. A Conceptual Framework And Research Agenda," Business Logistics in Modern Management, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics, Croatia, vol. 18, pages 85-108.
    7. Jensen, Peter D. Ørberg, 2012. "A passage to India: A dual case study of activities, processes and resources in offshore outsourcing of advanced services," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 311-326.
    8. Klerkx, Laurens & Leeuwis, Cees, 2008. "Matching demand and supply in the agricultural knowledge infrastructure: Experiences with innovation intermediaries," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 260-276, June.
    9. Zander, Katrin & Beske, Philip, 2014. "Happy Growers! Relationship Quality in the German Organic Apple Chain," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 17(3), pages 1-20, September.
    10. Dirksmeyer, Walter (Ed.) & Theuvsen, Ludwig (Ed.) & Kayser, Maike (Ed.), 2015. "Aktuelle Forschung in der Gartenbauökonomie: Tagungsband zum 1. Symposium für Ökonomie im Gartenbau am 27. November 2013 in der Paulinerkirche Göttingen," Thünen Reports 22, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    11. Dirksmeyer, Walter & Theuvsen, Ludwig & Kayser, Maike, 2015. "Aktuelle Forschung in der Gartenbauökonomie : Tagungsband zum 1. Symposium für Ökonomie im Gartenbau am 27. November 2013 in der Paulinerkirche Göttingen," Thünen Report 199110, Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (vTI), Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries.
    12. Ceci, Federica & Iubatti, Daniela, 2012. "Personal relationships and innovation diffusion in SME networks: A content analysis approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 565-579.
    13. Pemer, Frida & Börjeson, Love & Werr, Andreas, 2014. "Government agencies’ use of management consulting services in Sweden – an explorative study," SSE Working Paper Series in Business Administration 2014:3, Stockholm School of Economics.
    14. John Hamilton, 2020. "The Strategic Change Matrix and Business Sustainability across COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-19, July.
    15. Wright, Christopher & Sturdy, Andrew & Wylie, Nick, 2012. "Management innovation through standardization: Consultants as standardizers of organizational practice," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 652-662.
    16. Susanne Gretzinger, 2008. "Strategic Outsourcing in the German Engine Building Industry. An Empirical Study Based on the Resource Dependence Approach," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 19(3), pages 200-228.
    17. Amalou-Döpke, Linda & Süß, Stefan, 2014. "HR measurement as an instrument of the HR department in its exchange relationship with top management: A qualitative study based on resource dependence theory," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 444-460.
    18. Pemer, Frida & Werr, Andreas, 2005. "Between exploitation and control – Clients’ conceptions of the consultant-client relationship," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Business Administration 2005:4, Stockholm School of Economics.
    19. Schindler, Uwe, 2019. "Customer Integration: Wettbewerbsvorteil durch intangible Faktoren. Erkenntnisse einer Studie aus dem Bereich der industriellen Fördertechnik," Arbeitspapiere der FOM 75, FOM Hochschule für Oekonomie & Management.
    20. Anja Schmidt, 2009. "Relational View," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 129-137, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    SMEs; innovation; networks; public policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:nms:mamere:1861-9908_mrev_2010_2_gretzinger. 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: Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nomos.de/ .

    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.