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The Voyage of the Beagle in Innovation Systems Land.Explorations on Sectors, Innovation, Heterogeneity and Selection

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  • Srholec, Martin

    (Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK) and Centre for Advanced Study (CAS) at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters)

  • Verspagen, Bart

    (Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK) and Eindhoven Centre for Innovation Studies (ECIS))

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to assess heterogeneity of the innovation process. Using exploratory factor analysis on micro data from the third Community Innovation Survey in 13 countries, we identify four factors that that can be interpreted as research, user, external and production ingredients of innovation. All too often it is assumed that the differences between the rates at which these factors are found in firms' innovation strategies can be accounted for by differences across sectors and/or countries. To put this proposition under scrutiny, we partition variability of the innovation process into components identified by the different levels. The analysis shows that sectors and countries matter to a certain extent, but far most of the variance is given by heterogeneity among firms within either sectors or countries. On the other hand, a grouping of firms produced by cluster analysis ac-counts for a much higher share of the variance, which implies that the most relevant contextual fac-tors cut across the established boundaries between sectors and countries. We discuss the implica-tions of these findings for the literature on national and sectoral systems of innovation, and for the way in which evolutionary economics has analyzed the role of selection.

Suggested Citation

  • Srholec, Martin & Verspagen, Bart, 2008. "The Voyage of the Beagle in Innovation Systems Land.Explorations on Sectors, Innovation, Heterogeneity and Selection," MERIT Working Papers 2008-008, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
  • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2008008
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    Cited by:

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    2. Pavla Žížalová, 2009. "Geography of Knowledge-based Collaboration in a Post-communist Country: Specific Experience or Generalized Pattern?," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(5), pages 791-814, February.
    3. Dosi, Giovanni & Nelson, Richard R., 2010. "Technical Change and Industrial Dynamics as Evolutionary Processes," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 51-127, Elsevier.
    4. M. Mohd Rosli & Rosman Mahmood, 2013. "Moderating Effects of Human Resource Management Practices and Entrepreneur Training on Innovation and Small-Medium Firm Performance," Journal of Management and Strategy, Journal of Management and Strategy, Sciedu Press, vol. 4(2), pages 60-69, May.
    5. Goedhuys, Micheline & Veugelers, Reinhilde, 2012. "Innovation strategies, process and product innovations and growth: Firm-level evidence from Brazil," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 516-529.
    6. Fulvio Castellacci & Jinghai Zheng, 2010. "Technological regimes, Schumpeterian patterns of innovation and firm-level productivity growth," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(6), pages 1829-1865, December.
    7. Isabel Freitas & Tommy Clausen & Roberto Fontana & Bart Verspagen, 2011. "Formal and informal external linkages and firms’ innovative strategies. A cross-country comparison," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 91-119, February.
    8. Alp Eren Yurtseven & Vedat Sinan Tandoğan, 2012. "Patterns of innovation and intra-industry heterogeneity in Turkey," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(5), pages 657-671, October.
    9. Fitjar, Rune Dahl & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2013. "Firm collaboration and modes of innovation in Norway," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 128-138.
    10. Roman Römisch & Peter Huber & Klaus Nowotny & Ulrike Strauss, 2011. "CENTROPE Regional Development Report. Focus on Spatial Integration," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 43885, February.
    11. Wojciech Grabowski & Krzysztof Szczygielski, 2012. "Innovation Strategies and Productivity in the Polish Services Sector in the light of CIS 2008," CASE Network Studies and Analyses 0448, CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research.
    12. Archibugi, Daniele & Filippetti, Andrea & Frenz, Marion, 2013. "Economic crisis and innovation: Is destruction prevailing over accumulation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 303-314.
    13. Weidner, Nadia & Som, Oliver & Horvat, Djerdj, 2023. "An integrated conceptual framework for analysing heterogeneous configurations of absorptive capacity in manufacturing firms with the DUI innovation mode," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    14. Konstantinos Petrogiannis & Lia Softas-Nall, 2010. "The Family of Origin Scale in Greece," International Journal of Psychological Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 2(1), pages 1-3, June.
    15. Chaminade, Cristina & Intarakumnerd, Patarapong & Sapprasert, Koson, 2012. "Measuring systemic problems in National Innovation Systems. An application to Thailand," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(8), pages 1476-1488.
    16. Ariel L. Wirkierman & Tommaso Ciarli & Maria Savona, 2023. "A taxonomy of European innovation clubs," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 40(1), pages 1-34, April.
    17. B. Robert, 2008. "Innovation and entrepreneurship: structural determinants of competitiveness," Economic Review, National Bank of Belgium, issue iv, pages 61-83, December.
    18. Cevikarslan, Salih, 2013. "Heterogeneity in innovation strategies, evolving consumer preferences and market structure: An evolutionary multi-agent based modelling approach," MERIT Working Papers 2013-019, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    19. Edyta & Monika, 2021. "Innovative activity of Polish enterprises – a strategic aspect. The similarity of NACE divisions," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 17(2), pages 53-98.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technological Change; Innovation; Heterogenity; Variance Components Analysis; Factor Analysis; Systems of Innovation;
    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
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • C40 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - General
    • C49 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Other

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