Innovation capability of clusters: understanding the innovation of geographic business networks

Abstract

Purpose-This paper aims to explore innovation in geographic business networks and to propose a model of cluster innovation capability. The premise is that innovation is a necessity for firms and inter-firm relationships is an option for it to occur. Among these relationships, clusters stand out, with studies showing that firms in clusters tend to be more innovative. Design/methodology/approach-Thus, we conducted an exploratory study of two clusters: the emerging cluster of Alto do Camaquã, in Brazil, and growing cluster of Sisteron, in France. The cases were analyzed based on elements previously established in the literature: context; collective strategy; public policy; commercialization; pro-activity; external relationships; transmission; collaboration; assimilation, transformation, and application of knowledge; governance; infrastructure; financial and human resources. Findings-We obtained a model of cluster innovation capability, composed of strategic management, relationships and learning, technological and marketing development, and operational management. Originality/value-The proposed model is a dynamic model as capabilities vary in their intensities according to the development stage of the cluster and its maturity time.

Relación entre Capacidad de Innovación e Índice de Innovación en América Latina

“…De otra parte, los estudios sobre capacidades de innovación, se relacionan con otras variables que la conforman (Barbosa Ferreira et al, 2019;Cevallos et al, 2018;Jardon, 2018;Lema et al, 2015;López Montoya & Acosta-Prado, 2019;Martínez Marín & Arango Aramburo, 2017;Narcizo et al, 2013;Wu, 2019), y desde diversos marcos de análisis: nivel de clúster (Becerra Rodríguez, F.;Valencia Naranjo, 2008;Bittencourt et al, 2019;Díaz Pérez et al, 2009;Mejía Vallejo & Arias-Pérez, 2017;Zartha Sossa et al, 2016), nivel de empresa (Figueiredo, 2014;López-Cabarcos et al, 2015;López Montoya & Acosta-Prado, 2019;Maldonado-Guzmán et al, 2019;Novick et al, 2013;Oliveira et al, 2019;Quintero S. et al, 2019;Ramirez et al, 2019;Tarraço et al, 2019); y proceso de internacionalización (Fleury et al, 2013).También se encontraron estudios en AL que validan instrumentos para evaluar las capacidades dinámicas (Cabrera-Moya, 2017), así como de capacidades de innovación (Cevallos et al, 2018;López M. et al, 2018;Serrano García & Robledo Velásquez, 2013;Zartha Sossa et al, 2016).…”

Evaluating the innovation capability of cluster-based firms: a graph-theoretic approach

“…The literature brings examples that industrial clusters are a fertile inter-organizational network that promotes innovation (Porter, 1998; Romijn and Albaladejo, 2002; Wonglimpiyarat, 2006; Silvestre and Dalcol, 2009; Antolin-Lopez et al , 2015; Strand et al , 2017; Chandrashekar and Hillemane, 2018; Elche et al , 2018; Bittencourt et al , 2019). As a consequence, industrial clusters are increasingly gaining attention from researchers and policy makers worldwide to understand the drivers of innovations in this collaborative network (Chandrashekar and Hillemane, 2018; Faustino et al , 2019; Rodrigues et al , 2020; Tavares et al , 2021).…”

“…However, a considerable body of empirical research has shown that innovation could be shaped by firms’ social relationships in industrial clusters they are embedded (Shi et al , 2020). The literature also suggests that industrial clusters are sources for developing innovation capabilities (Baptista and Swann, 1998; Morosini, 2004; Bittencourt et al , 2019).…”

Open innovation from the university to local enterprises: conditions, complexities, and challenges

“…Literature has shown that local enterprises need to interact with other actors in their ecosystem to accelerate their innovation processes and to improve their competitiveness (Leckel, Veilleux & Dana, 2020;Anicet, Carneiro & Prévot, 2019;Han & Gao, 2019;Feldmann, Jacomossi, Barrichello & Scabim, 2017). Their strategic management directly influences the process of improvement of the competitiveness of companies and technological innovations (Han & Gao, 2019); these innovation processes involve managing the flow, exchanging, and mixing knowledge in open processes for the organization (Cheng, Huang, Zhao & Wu, 2019).…”

“…According to Chesbrough (2006;, open innovation (OI) facilitates innovations through a mix of endogenous and exogenous knowledge, which encourages a dynamic flow between the organization and its ecosystem. This organizational openness implies productive interactions with other organizations such as universities or research centers, which accelerate the assimilation, the transformation, and the application of knowledge (Schepis, Purchase & Butler, 2021;Anicet, Carneiro & Prévot, 2019).…”