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Inter And Intra Firm Diffusion Of Ict In The United Kingdom (Uk) And Switzerland (Ch) An Internationally Comparative Study Based On Firm-Level Data

Author

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  • Giuliana Battisti
  • Heinz Hollenstein
  • Paul Stoneman
  • Martin Woerter

Abstract

This paper attempts to at least partially redress a paucity of current literature on the joint analysis of inter and intra firm diffusion of innovations within as well as across countries. In particular, by using two data sets derived from independent country-specific surveys, it undertakes an international comparison of inter and intra firm diffusion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use in the UK and Switzerland. This allows one to address many of the problems that have prevented general conclusions on the drivers of inter and intra firm ICT adoption decisions. An encompassing model is proposed which gives quite satisfactory results for both countries. It is found that inter and intra firm ICT adoption decisions are driven by different factors, confirming the findings of Battisti and Stoneman [Battisti, G. and Stoneman, P. (2003) Inter and Intra Firm Effects in the Diffusion of New process Technology. Research Policy, 32, 1641-1655; Battisti, G. and Stoneman, P. (2005) The Intra Firm Diffusion of New Process Technologies. International Journal of Industrial organisation 23, 1-22.] and Hollenstein and Woerter [Hollenstein, H. and Woerter, M. (2004) The Decision to Adopt Internet-based E-commerce. An Empirical Analysis Based on Swiss Firm-level Data. KOF Working paper NG 89, Zurich.] that 'first use' and 'intensification of use' represent independent choices. The study also suggests that significant differences exist between the UK and Switzerland, probably as a result of their differing diffusion stages. In addition the importance of new organisational and managerial practices as drivers of diffusion stressed by recent theoretical and empirical work is supported for both countries. Overall the findings suggest that comparative research is a promising way to identify robust relationships and should be explored further.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuliana Battisti & Heinz Hollenstein & Paul Stoneman & Martin Woerter, 2007. "Inter And Intra Firm Diffusion Of Ict In The United Kingdom (Uk) And Switzerland (Ch) An Internationally Comparative Study Based On Firm-Level Data," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(8), pages 669-687.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ecinnt:v:16:y:2007:i:8:p:669-687
    DOI: 10.1080/10438590600984026
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    Cited by:

    1. Spyros Arvanitis & Marius Ley, 2013. "Factors Determining the Adoption of Energy-Saving Technologies in Swiss Firms: An Analysis Based on Micro Data," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 54(3), pages 389-417, March.
    2. Marius Ley, 2010. "Determinanten der Verbreitung energieeffizienter Technologien in der Schweizer Wirtschaft," KOF Analysen, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich, vol. 4(4), pages 43-59, December.
    3. Martin Woerter & Tobias Stucki, 2016. "Intra-Firm Diffusion of Green Energy Technologies and the Choice of Policy Instruments," KOF Working papers 16-401, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    4. Tiago Oliveira & Maria Fraga O. Martins, 2011. "Understanding the determinant factors of Internet business solutions adoption: the case of Portuguese firms," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(18), pages 1769-1775, December.
    5. Jenny Meyer, 2011. "Workforce age and technology adoption in small and medium-sized service firms," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 305-324, October.
    6. Manoj Thomas & Daniela Costa & Tiago Oliveira, 2016. "Assessing the role of IT-enabled process virtualization on green IT adoption," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 693-710, August.
    7. Martin Woerter, 2012. "Technology proximity between firms and universities and technology transfer," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 37(6), pages 828-866, December.
    8. Mughal, Mazhar & Diawara, Barassou, 2011. "Human capital and the adoption of information and communications technologies: Evidence from investment climate survey of Pakistan," Economics Discussion Papers 2011-21, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    9. Waters, James, 2013. "The influence of information sources on inter- and intra-firm diffusion: evidence from UK farming," MPRA Paper 50955, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Juan M. Gallego & Luis H. Gutiérrez & Sang H. Lee, 2015. "A firm-level analysis of ICT adoption in an emerging economy: evidence from the Colombian manufacturing industries," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 24(1), pages 191-221.
    11. Spyros Arvanitis & Marius Christian Ley, 2010. "Factors Determining the Adoption of Energy-saving Technologies in Swiss Firms," KOF Working papers 10-257, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    12. Tomohiro MACHIKITA & Masatsugu TSUJI & Yasushi UEKI, 2010. "How ICTs Raise Manufacturing Performance: Firm-level Evidence in Southeast Asia," Working Papers DP-2010-07, Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).
    13. Hollenstein, Heinz & Woerter, Martin, 2008. "Inter- and intra-firm diffusion of technology: The example of E-commerce: An analysis based on Swiss firm-level data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 545-564, April.
    14. Battisti, Giuliana & Canepa, Alessandra & Stoneman, Paul, 2009. "e-Business usage across and within firms in the UK: profitability, externalities and policy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 133-143, February.
    15. Fuentelsaz, Lucio & Gómez, Jaime & Palomas, Sergio, 2012. "Production technologies and financial performance: The effect of uneven diffusion among competitors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 401-413.
    16. Stoneman, Paul & Battisti, Giuliana, 2010. "The Diffusion of New Technology," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 733-760, Elsevier.
    17. Ben Aoun - Peltier, Leila & Vicente Cuervo, Maria Rosalia, 2012. "E-commerce diffusion: exploring the determinants of the adoption and extent of usage at firm-level," MPRA Paper 49333, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Strong, Derek Ryan, 2017. "The Early Diffusion of Smart Meters in the US Electric Power Industry," Thesis Commons 7zprk, Center for Open Science.
    19. Waters, James, 2015. "Determinants of initial technology adoption and intensification: evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean," MPRA Paper 61473, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Siedschlag, Iulia & Yan, Weijie, 2020. "What drives firms’ decisions to spend on environmental protection," Papers WP670, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    21. Ben Hamida, Lamia & Gugler, Philippe, 2009. "Are there demonstration-related spillovers from FDI?: Evidence from Switzerland," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 494-508, October.
    22. Lucia-Palacios, Laura & Bordonaba-Juste, Victoria & Polo-Redondo, Yolanda & Grünhagen, Marko, 2014. "Technological opportunism effects on IT adoption, intra-firm diffusion and performance: Evidence from the U.S. and Spain," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(6), pages 1178-1188.
    23. Jane Bourke & Stephen Roper, 2012. "In with the new: the determinants of prescribing innovation by general practitioners in Ireland," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 13(4), pages 393-407, August.
    24. Md Golam Rabiul Alam & Abdul Kadar Muhammad Masum & Loo-See Beh & Choong Seon Hong, 2016. "Critical Factors Influencing Decision to Adopt Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in Hospitals," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-22, August.
    25. Bourke, Jane & Roper, Stephen, 2016. "AMT adoption and innovation: An investigation of dynamic and complementary effects," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 55, pages 42-55.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technological diffusion; ICT and e-business activities; International comparison;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

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