In this paper we set up a general duration model of technology adoption which incorporates the main factors discussed in the different demand side theories of diffusion of new process technologies. The model is applied to the data on diffusion of CNC in the UK engineering industry. It is found that while there is strong evidence for the rank and endogenous learning effects, there seems to be little evidence in support of the stock and order effects, as characterized by the game theoretic models.

Recent evidence suggests that the extent of consumer adoption of 'green' products is much less than would be indicated by the enthusiastic opinion poll evidence concerning public attitudes towards environmentally-friendly consumption. This paper reports on an empirical analysis of firms' marketing strategies and their influence on consumer demand for green products. In twenty 2-3 hour interviews with senior managers, four representative groups of markets were analysed household detergents, paper (recycled), petrol (unleaded) and automobile technology (focusing on catalytic converters). According to managers, firms' marketing strategies influenced consumer demand by making green technologies available in the fwst instance. However, barriers to supplying green products that show panty with, or better performance than, conventional technologies constrain pricing and communication efforts Managers stressed that, in the absence of clarity of green products' environmental benefits, product performance and other attributes, not green benefits, remain the main determinants of product preference and choice. Promotions focused much more on consumers than distribution channels, yet channel acceptance and support of green innovations are paramount in facilitating sales. Firms see the costs of generating and promoting desirable green technologies as barriers to diffusion in the immediate future. Legislation and/or economic incentives may help, but manufacturers are not optimistic that future green consumption rates will accelerate. The results also highlight several propositions concerning the discrepancy between consumer environmental concerns and purchasing actions which warrant further testing: there is mis-specification of green products in relation to consumers' needs; there are barriers to perceptions of green products' environmental impact and consumers' free ride due to individual self-interest.

Using data from the Fourth UK Community Innovation Survey this paper explores the diffusion of a range of innovative activities (encompassing process, product, machinery, marketing, organization, management and strategic innovations) across 16,383 British companies in 2004. Building upon a simple theoretical model it is shown that the use of each innovation is correlated with the use of all other innovations. It is shown that the range of innovations can be summarized by two multi-innovation factors, labelled here 'organizational' and 'technological', that are complements but not substitutes for each other. Three clusters of firms are identified where intensity of use of the two sets of innovations is below average (56.9% of the sample); intermediate but above average (23.7%); and highly above average (19.4%). Distinctive characteristics are found to be common to the companies in each cluster. Finally, it is shown that innovativeness tends to persist over time.

The role of financial factors as constraints to innovation in the UK is explored using data on individual returns to the second and third Community Innovation Surveys. It is found that financial factors do impact upon innovative activity and that impact is more severe in higher tech sectors and for smaller enterprises. These results extend but largely confirm the results in the extant literature by using a different approach to the standard cash flow based method, encompassing a wider class of investment phenomena (innovation rather than just R&D) and exploiting a new data base. JEL classification: O3.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract