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Design centrality, design investments and innovation performance: an empirical analysis of European firms

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  • Sandro Montresor
  • Antonio Vezzani

Abstract

This article provides new evidence on the relationship between design and innovation performance at the firm level. In particular, we integrate previous analyses of the link between design investments and innovation by considering the extent to which firms put design at the center of their business activities. Moreover, we distinguish between the effect of design on innovation and its effect on the success of innovation, as captured by firms’ innovative turnover. The use of the European Innobarometer survey, covering a unique set of questions on the topic, allows us to test a set of hypotheses about these relationships on a large sample of firms. The results show that a firm’s approach to design plays an important role in its propensity to innovate: the more central the role of design within a firm, the higher the likelihood it innovates. The same holds true when considering the share of turnover from innovation. However, sales associated with innovation do not increase linearly with design investments, as we find a positive effect only for firms investing intensively in design. Overall it emerges that the centrality of design is strongly associated with firms’ innovation performance, while design investment per se has a more nuanced role.

Suggested Citation

  • Sandro Montresor & Antonio Vezzani, 2020. "Design centrality, design investments and innovation performance: an empirical analysis of European firms," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 29(2), pages 351-374.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:indcch:v:29:y:2020:i:2:p:351-374.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/icc/dtz046
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    Cited by:

    1. Sandro Montresor & Antonio Vezzani, 2022. "Financial constraints to investing in intangibles: Do innovative and non-innovative firms differ?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 1-32, February.
    2. Andersson, David E. & Ekman, Anton & Huila, Anton & Tell, Fredrik, 2023. "Industrial design rights and the market value of firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    3. Ghisetti, Claudia & Montresor, Sandro & Vezzani, Antonio, 2021. "Design and environmental technologies: Does ‘green-matching’ actually help?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(5).
    4. Corradini, Carlo & D'Ippolito, Beatrice, 2022. "Persistence and learning effects in design innovation: Evidence from panel data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(2).

    More about this item

    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
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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