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How do different motives for R&D cooperation affect firm performance? – An analysis based on Swiss micro data

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  • Spyros Arvanitis

Abstract

The starting point of our analysis is the empirical fact that firms pursue different goals when getting engaged in R&D collaborations, often more than one goal at the same time. Given that firms are driven by different motives for R&D cooperation, the aim of this article is to investigate the differences related to different motives with respect to the impact of R&D cooperation on firm innovativeness and firm productivity. Not only R&D cooperation in general but also cooperation driven by each of the seven motives considered in this paper correlate positively with the sales share of innovative products. With respect to innovativeness, the characterization of cooperation by the driving motive did not add much more than could be gained through the overall variable ‘R&D cooperation yes/no’. Technology-motivated collaborative activities show a weaker tendency to positive direct effects on productivity than cost-motivated cooperation. In this case, the distinction of several cooperation motives yields some additional insights as compared to the overall cooperation variable. On the whole, distinguishing various cooperation motives appears to be fruitful because it allows more differentiated insights that would remain hidden behind the overall variable “R&D cooperation yes/no”. Copyright Springer-Verlag 2012

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  • Spyros Arvanitis, 2012. "How do different motives for R&D cooperation affect firm performance? – An analysis based on Swiss micro data," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 981-1007, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joevec:v:22:y:2012:i:5:p:981-1007
    DOI: 10.1007/s00191-012-0273-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Spyros Arvanitis & Florian Seliger & Martin Wörter, 2019. "Wie wichtig ist Wissensakquisition im Ausland für Innovation und Produktivität in der Schweiz?," KOF Analysen, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich, vol. 13(2), pages 26-37, June.
    2. Vitaliy Roud & Valeriya Vlasova, 2016. "Firm-Level Evidence on the Cooperative Innovation Strategies in Russian Manufacturing," HSE Working papers WP BRP 63/STI/2016, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    3. Gkypali, Areti & Arvanitis, Spyros & Tsekouras, Kostas, 2018. "Absorptive capacity, exporting activities, innovation openness and innovation performance: A SEM approach towards a unifying framework," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 143-155.
    4. Cevikarslan S., 2015. "Research joint ventures in an R&D driven market with evolving consumer preferences: An evolutionary multi-agent based modelling approach," MERIT Working Papers 2015-007, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    5. Erika Raquel Badillo & Rosina Moreno, 2018. "Does absorptive capacity determine collaboration returns to innovation? A geographical dimension," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 60(3), pages 473-499, May.
    6. Zhao, Shu Liang & Song, Wei & Zhu, Dong Yun & Peng, Xiao Bao & Cai, Wenjing, 2013. "Evaluating China's regional collaboration innovation capability from the innovation actors perspective—An AHP and cluster analytical approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 182-190.
    7. Erika Raquel Badillo & Rosina Moreno, 2014. "“Does absorptive capacity determine collaborative research returns to innovation? A geographical dimension”," IREA Working Papers 201428, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Nov 2014.
    8. Spyros Arvanitis & Areti Gkypali & Kostas Tsekouras, 2014. "Knowledge Base, Exporting Activities, Innovation Openness and Innovation Performance," KOF Working papers 14-361, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    9. Martin Srholec, 2014. "Cooperation and Innovative Performance of Firms: Panel Data Evidence from the Czech Republic, Norway and the UK," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 5(1), pages 133-155, March.
    10. Davide Antonioli & Alberto Marzucchi & Maria Savona, 2017. "Pain shared, pain halved? Cooperation as a coping strategy for innovation barriers," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 841-864, August.
    11. Massimiliano Volpi, 2014. "Universities as sources of information: comparing the role of 'open innovation' and companies' motivations," SEEDS Working Papers 0514, SEEDS, Sustainability Environmental Economics and Dynamics Studies, revised Mar 2014.
    12. Xu, Aiting & Qiu, Keyang & Zhu, Yuhan, 2023. "The measurements and decomposition of innovation inequality: Based on Industry − University − Research perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    13. Heike Belitz, 2014. "Motive der Internationalisierung von Forschung und Entwicklung," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 29, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    14. Beck, Mathias & Lopes-Bento, Cindy & Schenker-Wicki, Andrea, 2016. "Radical or incremental: Where does R&D policy hit?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(4), pages 869-883.
    15. Karbowski, Adam, 2016. "Współpraca badawczo-rozwojowa przedsiębiorstw: przegląd prac empirycznych [R&D Cooperation of Firms: Empirical literature review]," MPRA Paper 77698, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Spyros Arvanitis & Thomas Bolli, 2013. "A Comparison of National and International Innovation Cooperation in Five European Countries," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 43(3), pages 163-191, November.
    17. Massimiliano Volpi, 2017. "Sources of information for innovation: the role of companies’ motivations," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(8), pages 817-836, November.
    18. Pavla Matulova & Petra Maresova & Mohammad Ali Tareq & Kamil Kuča, 2018. "Open Innovation Session as a Tool Supporting Innovativeness in Strategies for High-Tech Companies in the Czech Republic," Economies, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-13, December.
    19. Dziurski Patryk & Sopińska Agnieszka, 2020. "Does industry matter? Drivers and barriers for open innovation in high-tech and non-high-tech industries—Evidence from Poland," International Journal of Management and Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, Collegium of World Economy, vol. 56(4), pages 307-323, December.
    20. Greco, Marco & Grimaldi, Michele & Locatelli, Giorgio & Serafini, Mattia, 2021. "How does open innovation enhance productivity? An exploration in the construction ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    21. Luísa Carvalho & Maria José Madeira & João Carvalho & Dulcineia Catarina Moura & Filipe P. Duarte, 2018. "Cooperation for Innovation in the European Union: Outlook and Evidences Using CIS for 15 European Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(2), pages 506-525, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    R&D cooperation; Innovation; Productivity; O31;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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