IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/tefoso/v176y2022ics0040162522000269.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A micro-founded approach to regional innovation in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Aronica, Martina
  • Fazio, Giorgio
  • Piacentino, Davide

Abstract

Recent regional studies have taken a micro-founded perspective to uncover the influence of the external environment on the firm-level innovative performance. Despite the marked spatial disparities, there is a general lack of recent evidence on Italian regional innovation from a micro perspective. This paper fills this gap in the evidence base by estimating regional Knowledge Production Functions using Italian micro-data collected in the Community Innovation Survey. In particular, here we focus on the regional differences in the relationship between innovative inputs and outputs and on the ability of firms to absorb external knowledge. This analysis allows us to outline different regional innovative profiles in Italy.

Suggested Citation

  • Aronica, Martina & Fazio, Giorgio & Piacentino, Davide, 2022. "A micro-founded approach to regional innovation in Italy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:176:y:2022:i:c:s0040162522000269
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121494
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162522000269
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121494?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Francesco Bogliacino & Matteo Lucchese & Leopoldo Nascia & Mario Pianta, 2017. "Modeling the virtuous circle of innovation. A test on Italian firms," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(3), pages 467-484.
    2. Raffaello Bronzini & Eleonora Iachini, 2014. "Are Incentives for R&D Effective? Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Approach," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 6(4), pages 100-134, November.
    3. Roberta Capello & Camilla Lenzi, 2015. "Knowledge, Innovation and Productivity Gains across European Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(11), pages 1788-1804, November.
    4. Crescenzi, Riccardo & Gagliardi, Luisa, 2018. "The innovative performance of firms in heterogeneous environments: The interplay between external knowledge and internal absorptive capacities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 782-795.
    5. G. M.P. Swann, 2009. "The Economics of Innovation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13211.
    6. repec:fth:harver:1473 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Riccardo Crescenzi & Alexander Jaax, 2017. "Innovation in Russia: The Territorial Dimension," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 93(1), pages 66-88, January.
    8. Giorgio Fazio & Davide Piacentino, 2010. "A Spatial Multilevel Analysis of Italian SMEs' Productivity," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(3), pages 299-316.
    9. Gabriele Pellegrino & Mariacristina Piva, 2020. "Innovation, industry and firm age: are there new knowledge production functions?," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(1), pages 65-95, March.
    10. Annalisa Caloffi & Marco Mariani & Alessandro Sterlacchini, 2016. "Evaluating Public Supports To The Investment Activities Of Business Firms: A Meta-Regression Analysis Of Italian Studies," Working Papers 0116, CREI Università degli Studi Roma Tre, revised 2016.
    11. Andrea Bellucci & Luca Pennacchio & Alberto Zazzaro, 2019. "Public R&D subsidies: collaborative versus individual place-based programs for SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 213-240, January.
    12. Laura Barbieri & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2019. "R&D, embodied technological change, and employment: evidence from Italian microdata," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 28(1), pages 203-218.
    13. Giulio Cainelli & Rinaldo Evangelista & Maria Savona, 2006. "Innovation and economic performance in services: a firm-level analysis," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 30(3), pages 435-458, May.
    14. Rinaldo Evangelista & Simona Iammarino & Valeria Mastrostefano & Alberto Silvani, 2002. "Looking for Regional Systems of Innovation: Evidence from the Italian Innovation Survey," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 173-186.
    15. Bruno Crepon & Emmanuel Duguet & Jacques Mairesse, 1998. "Research, Innovation And Productivity: An Econometric Analysis At The Firm Level," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 115-158.
    16. Richard Harris & Ji Yan, 2019. "The Measurement Of Absorptive Capacity From An Economics Perspective: Definition, Measurement And Importance," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 729-756, July.
    17. Alexander Berman & Alba Marino & Ram Mudambi, 2020. "The global connectivity of regional innovation systems in Italy: a core–periphery perspective," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(5), pages 677-691, May.
    18. Luca Pennacchio & Giuseppe Piroli & Otello Ardovino, 2018. "The Role of R&D Cooperation in Firm Innovation," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(01), pages 1-27, February.
    19. Hall, Bronwyn H. & Mairesse, Jacques, 1995. "Exploring the relationship between R&D and productivity in French manufacturing firms," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 263-293, January.
    20. Hauser, Christoph & Siller, Matthias & Schatzer, Thomas & Walde, Janette & Tappeiner, Gottfried, 2018. "Measuring regional innovation: A critical inspection of the ability of single indicators to shape technological change," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 43-55.
    21. Francesco Aiello & Paola Cardamone & Lidia Mannarino & Valeria Pupo, 2021. "Does external R&D matter for family firm innovation? Evidence from the Italian manufacturing industry," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1915-1930, December.
    22. Almus, Matthias & Czarnitzki, Dirk, 2003. "The Effects of Public R&D Subsidies on Firms' Innovation Activities: The Case of Eastern Germany," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 21(2), pages 226-236, April.
    23. David, Paul A. & Hall, Bronwyn H. & Toole, Andrew A., 2000. "Is public R&D a complement or substitute for private R&D? A review of the econometric evidence," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(4-5), pages 497-529, April.
    24. Bruno Cassiman & Reinhilde Veugelers, 2002. "R&D Cooperation and Spillovers: Some Empirical Evidence from Belgium," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(4), pages 1169-1184, September.
    25. Zvi Griliches, 1998. "Issues in Assessing the Contribution of Research and Development to Productivity Growth," NBER Chapters, in: R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, pages 17-45, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    26. Ascani, Andrea & Balland, Pierre-Alexandre & Morrison, Andrea, 2020. "Heterogeneous foreign direct investment and local innovation in Italian Provinces," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 388-401.
    27. Pellegrino, Gabriele & Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2012. "Young firms and innovation: A microeconometric analysis," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 329-340.
    28. Rachel Griffith & Elena Huergo & Jacques Mairesse & Bettina Peters, 2006. "Innovation and Productivity Across Four European Countries," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 22(4), pages 483-498, Winter.
    29. Andrea Ascani & Luisa Gagliardi, 2015. "Inward FDI and local innovative performance. An empirical investigation on Italian provinces," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 35(1), pages 29-47, February.
    30. Chiara Franco & Alberto Marzucchi & Sandro Montresor, 2014. "Absorptive Capacity, Proximity in Cooperation and Integration Mechanisms. Empirical Evidence from CIS Data," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 332-357, May.
    31. Bronwyn H. Hall & Francesca Lotti & Jacques Mairesse, 2013. "Evidence on the impact of R&D and ICT investments on innovation and productivity in Italian firms," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 300-328, April.
    32. Cohen, Wesley M & Levinthal, Daniel A, 1989. "Innovation and Learning: The Two Faces of R&D," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 99(397), pages 569-596, September.
    33. Sylvie Charlot & Riccardo Crescenzi & Antonio Musolesi, 2015. "Econometric modelling of the regional knowledge production function in Europe," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(6), pages 1227-1259.
    34. Hyunbae Chun & Sung-Bae Mun, 2012. "Determinants of R&D cooperation in small and medium-sized enterprises," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 419-436, September.
    35. Szczygielski, Krzysztof & Grabowski, Wojciech & Pamukcu, Mehmet Teoman & Tandogan, Vedat Sinan, 2017. "Does government support for private innovation matter? Firm-level evidence from two catching-up countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 219-237.
    36. Baumann, Julian & Kritikos, Alexander S., 2016. "The link between R&D, innovation and productivity: Are micro firms different?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(6), pages 1263-1274.
    37. Bronwyn Hall & Francesca Lotti & Jacques Mairesse, 2009. "Innovation and productivity in SMEs: empirical evidence for Italy," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 13-33, June.
    38. Mark Rogers, 2004. "Networks, Firm Size and Innovation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 141-153, March.
    39. David Aristei & Alessandro Sterlacchini & Francesco Venturini, 2017. "Effectiveness of R&D subsidies during the crisis: firm-level evidence across EU countries," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(6), pages 554-573, August.
    40. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    41. Rune Dahl Fitjar & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2015. "Networking, context and firm-level innovation: Cooperation through the regional filter in Norway," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1516, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised May 2015.
    42. Crepon, B. & Duguet, E. & Mairesse, J., 1998. "Research Investment, Innovation and Productivity: An Econometric Analysis at the Firm Level," Papiers d'Economie Mathématique et Applications 98.15, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1).
    43. Roberto Antonietti & Raffaello Bronzini & Giulio Cainelli, 2015. "Inward greenfield FDI and innovation," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(1), pages 93-116, March.
    44. Francesco Quatraro, 2009. "Diffusion of Regional Innovation Capabilities: Evidence from Italian Patent Data," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(10), pages 1333-1348, December.
    45. Becker, Wolfgang & Dietz, Jurgen, 2004. "R&D cooperation and innovation activities of firms--evidence for the German manufacturing industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 209-223, March.
    46. Frank Crowley & Philip McCann, 2018. "Firm innovation and productivity in Europe: evidence from innovation-driven and transition-driven economies," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(11), pages 1203-1221, March.
    47. Zvi Griliches, 1998. "Patent Statistics as Economic Indicators: A Survey," NBER Chapters, in: R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, pages 287-343, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    48. Sam Tavassoli & Charlie Karlsson, 2018. "The role of regional context on innovation persistency of firms," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 97(4), pages 931-955, November.
    49. Simona Iammarino, 2005. "An evolutionary integrated view of Regional Systems of Innovation: Concepts, measures and historical perspectives," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 497-519, June.
    50. Marco Mariani & Fabrizia Mealli, 2018. "The Effects of R&D Subsidies to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. Evidence from a Regional Program," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 4(2), pages 249-281, July.
    51. Tojeiro-Rivero, Damián & Moreno, Rosina, 2019. "Technological cooperation, R&D outsourcing, and innovation performance at the firm level: The role of the regional context," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(7), pages 1798-1808.
    52. Frank Crowley & Philip McCann, 2015. "Innovation and Productivity in Irish Firms," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 181-204, June.
    53. Carboni, Oliviero A., 2017. "The effect of public support on investment and R&D: An empirical evaluation on European manufacturing firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 282-295.
    54. Fosfuri, Andrea & Tribø, Josep A., 2008. "Exploring the antecedents of potential absorptive capacity and its impact on innovation performance," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 173-187, April.
    55. Parisi, Maria Laura & Schiantarelli, Fabio & Sembenelli, Alessandro, 2006. "Productivity, innovation and R&D: Micro evidence for Italy," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(8), pages 2037-2061, November.
    56. Damián Tojeiro-Rivero & Rosina Moreno, 2019. "“Technological cooperation and R&D outsourcing at the firm level: The role of the regional context ”," IREA Working Papers 201904, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Feb 2019.
    57. Mate-Sanchez-Val, Mariluz & Harris, Richard, 2014. "Differential empirical innovation factors for Spain and the UK," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 451-463.
    58. Dirk Czarnitzki & Katrin Hussinger, 2018. "Input and output additionality of R&D subsidies," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(12), pages 1324-1341, March.
    59. Rinaldo Evangelista & Valeria Mastrostefano, 2006. "Firm size, sectors and countries as sources of variety in innovation," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(3), pages 247-270.
    60. Roberta Capello & Camilla Lenzi, 2014. "Spatial Heterogeneity In Knowledge, Innovation, And Economic Growth Nexus: Conceptual Reflections And Empirical Evidence," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 186-214, March.
    61. Berchicci, Luca, 2013. "Towards an open R&D system: Internal R&D investment, external knowledge acquisition and innovative performance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 117-127.
    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. Zhang, Dongna & Zhao, Zuoxiang & Lau, Chi Keung Marco, 2022. "Sovereign ESG and corporate investment: New insights from the United Kingdom," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).

    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. Giuseppe Medda, 2020. "External R&D, product and process innovation in European manufacturing companies," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 339-369, February.
    2. Pellegrino, Gabriele & Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2012. "Young firms and innovation: A microeconometric analysis," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 329-340.
    3. Son Thi Kim Le, 2019. "Innovation efforts in developing countries: The case of Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-7, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Christian Rammer & Dirk Czarnitzki & Alfred Spielkamp, 2009. "Innovation success of non-R&D-performers: substituting technology by management in SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 35-58, June.
    5. Burcu Fazlıoğlu & Başak Dalgıç & Ahmet Burçin Yereli, 2019. "The effect of innovation on productivity: evidence from Turkish manufacturing firms," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 439-460, April.
    6. Edeh, Jude N. & Acedo, Francisco J., 2021. "External supports, innovation efforts and productivity: Estimation of a CDM model for small firms in developing countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    7. Cappelen, Ådne & Raknerud, Arvid & Rybalka, Marina, 2012. "The effects of R&D tax credits on patenting and innovations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 334-345.
    8. Ilaria Gandin & Claudio Cozza, 2019. "Can we predict firms’ innovativeness? The identification of innovation performers in an Italian region through a supervised learning approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(6), pages 1-16, June.
    9. Marina Rybalka, 2015. "The innovative input mix. Assessing the importance of R&D and ICT investments for firm performance in manufacturing and services," Discussion Papers 801, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    10. Emanuele Giovannetti & Claudio Piga, 2023. "The multifaceted nature of cooperation for innovation, ICT and innovative outcomes: evidence from UK Microdata," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 13(3), pages 639-666, September.
    11. Giovanni Marin & Francesca Lotti, 2017. "Productivity effects of eco-innovations using data on eco-patents," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(1), pages 125-148.
    12. Criscuolo, Chiara & Mariagrazia, Squicciarini & Olavi, Lehtoranta, 2010. "R&D, innovation and productivity, and the CIS: sampling, specification and comparability issues," MPRA Paper 39261, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Bettina Peters & Rebecca Riley & Iulia Siedschlag & Priit Vahter & John McQuinn, 2018. "Internationalisation, innovation and productivity in services: evidence from Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 154(3), pages 585-615, August.
    14. Esther Goya & Esther Vayá & Jordi Suriñach, 2012. "“Do intra- and inter-industry spillovers matter? CDM model estimates for Spain”," IREA Working Papers 201214, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Sep 2012.
    15. Baumann, Julian & Kritikos, Alexander S., 2016. "The link between R&D, innovation and productivity: Are micro firms different?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(6), pages 1263-1274.
    16. Gabriele Pellegrino & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2015. "How do new entrepreneurs innovate?," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(3), pages 323-341, September.
    17. Acosta, Manuel & Coronado, Daniel & Romero, Carlos, 2015. "Linking public support, R&D, innovation and productivity: New evidence from the Spanish food industry," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 50-61.
    18. Audretsch, David & Hafenstein, Marian & Kritikos, Alexander S. & Schiersch, Alexander, 2018. "Firm Size and Innovation in the Service Sector," IZA Discussion Papers 12035, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Conte, Andrea & Vivarelli, Marco, 2005. "One or Many Knowledge Production Functions? Mapping Innovative Activity Using Microdata," IZA Discussion Papers 1878, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    20. Thomas H. W. Ziesemer, 2021. "The Effects of R&D Subsidies and Publicly Performed R&D on Business R&D: A Survey," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 236(1), pages 171-205, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regional Innovation; Micro-founded Knowledge Production Function; Italian Regions; Community Innovation Survey;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

    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:eee:tefoso:v:176:y:2022:i:c:s0040162522000269. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00401625 .

    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.