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A Different Path to Growth? Service Innovation and Performance amongst UK Manufacturers

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  • Tether, B.
  • Bascavusoglu-Moreau, E.

Abstract

Introducing and innovating services is advocated as a means by which manufacturing firms in advanced economies can retain or enhance their competitiveness. But little is known about how manufacturers innovate services, nor about the impact of service innovation on manufacturers' performance. Using two consecutive waves of the UK Innovation Survey, this paper first examines how manufacturers innovate services, comparing this with how they innovate goods (i.e., material products) and production processes. We find that manufacturers tend to innovate services differently: R&D is found to be unimportant, whilst investments in marketing and training are found to be related to service innovation. The paper then examines the impact of service innovation on performance, in terms of innovative sales per employee and total sales per employee. We find that service innovation does not increase innovative sales but is associated with higher total sales per employee.

Suggested Citation

  • Tether, B. & Bascavusoglu-Moreau, E., 2012. "A Different Path to Growth? Service Innovation and Performance amongst UK Manufacturers," Working Papers wp433, Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge.
  • Handle: RePEc:cbr:cbrwps:wp433
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    Cited by:

    1. Guan, Jian Cheng & Yan, Yan, 2016. "Technological proximity and recombinative innovation in the alternative energy field," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7), pages 1460-1473.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Service Innovation; Servitization; Innovation Survey; Multivariate Probit; Multinomial Logit.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General

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