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External R&D, product and process innovation in European manufacturing companies

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  • Giuseppe Medda

    (University of Sassari)

Abstract

We assess the relationship between firms’ Research and Development expenditures over sales and innovation output, measured by three dummies indicating whether firms have introduced any product innovation, process innovation or both types of innovations together. In particular, we estimate the impact that external sources of R&D may have on different kind of innovations, differentiating between R&D supplied by universities and other research centers, on one side, and other companies, on the other. We base our empirical analysis on a large and representative sample of European manufacturing companies from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Treating R&D intensity as an endogenous variable, we find that (1) R&D intensity has a positive and significant effect on the probability to introduce product innovations, process innovations, or both innovations together; (2) the share of R&D acquired from external sources has a positive impact on process innovation, and on the probability to introduce product and process innovation together, but not on product innovation alone; (3) the share of external R&D supplied by universities has a positive and significant effect on product innovation, but no correlation has been found with process innovation, while R&D acquired from other companies have a positive impact on process innovation but not on product innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:45:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s10961-018-9682-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-018-9682-4
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    External R&D; Product innovation; Process innovation; IV model;
    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
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • L60 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - General
    • C36 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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