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European SMEs’ engagement in open innovation When the important thing is to win and not just to participate, what should innovation policy do?

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  • De Marco, Chiara Eleonora
  • Martelli, Irene
  • Di Minin, Alberto

Abstract

This exploratory study proposes an original methodology to operationalize and signal SMEs’ engagement in challenging dimensions of implementing Open Innovation. We verify whether the European SME Instrument is achieving its goal of providing public funds to the best SMEs in Europe, the ‘EU Innovation Champions’. We test our methodology on a sample of SMEs operating in the digital sector. We found that the SMEs awarded the grants are less engaged in the challenging dimensions of Open Innovation than companies that did not receive any funding. This is contrary to the intended goals of the grants. We provide policy and methodological implications relevant for the design of better OI-informed policy and the more effective evaluation of companies participating in the SME Instrument.

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  • De Marco, Chiara Eleonora & Martelli, Irene & Di Minin, Alberto, 2020. "European SMEs’ engagement in open innovation When the important thing is to win and not just to participate, what should innovation policy do?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:152:y:2020:i:c:s0040162518315476
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2019.119843
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    7. Onea Ioana Alexandra, 2020. "Innovation indicators in the context of Romanian SMEs: A research agenda," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 149-158, July.
    8. Aiping Tao & Qi Qi & Yi Li & Dan Da & Valentina Boamah & Decai Tang, 2022. "Game Analysis of the Open-Source Innovation Benefits of Two Enterprises from the Perspective of Product Homogenization and the Enterprise Strength Gap," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-22, May.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Open innovation; Innovation policy; SMEs; SME Instrument;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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