International Regional Patterns of R&D Networks Involving Low Tech SMEs

Abstract

A large number of studies have emphasized the spatial proximity of economic activity and its relation to the spatiality of knowledge creation in various types of connections. Far less attention has been paid to the understanding of the determinants of ‘cultural’ and geographical proximity in international R&D cooperation projects involving SMEs and the role of the quality of the Regional Innovation System (RIS). Using a database of completed European Cooperative Research projects, we conclude that: 1) technologically more complex projects are more likely to involve ‘culturally’ and geographically distant partners; 2) RIS related variables determine ‘cultural’ proximity but not geographical proximity; 3) at first sight surprisingly, international cooperation projects involving the 1st promoters of innovation-led regions (high patent propensity and high human capital levels) are culturally more distant

The effects of R&D intensity and internationalization on the performance of non-high-tech SMEs

“…Such firms are shown to compete on the basis of differentiated products that offer value through innovative technology and product design despite the non-high-tech nature of the business (Evers, 2011). They can seek support from technology intermediaries (Spithoven and Knockaert, 2012) and participate in formal international R&D networks (Teixeira et al, 2013) to upgrade their capabilities and accelerate innovation. The international networks of non-high-tech SMEs can compensate for a lack of knowledge capabilities, as well as leverage resources for knowledge of opportunities (Evers, 2011).…”

“…They can also participate in formal international R&D networks to accelerate their pace of innovation, stay abreast of technological and market trends and develop new products (Teixeira et al, 2013). For instance, non-high-tech SMEs have been shown to benefit from access to technology centres 2 to complement their limited R&D capabilities in non-high-tech clusters (Hervas-Oliver et al, 2012b).…”

“…In the light of growing connectedness and exchange between different actors in an innovation system, non-high-tech SMEs face the increasing necessity of assessing and adopting external knowledge (Som et al, 2015). These SMEs also rely on network linkages to mobilize, accumulate and develop resource stocks for a competitive advantage participating in a learning process with co-located firms and supporting organizations in the same regional area or via international networks to improve their knowledge base (Teixeira et al, 2013;Tsang, 2002). As organizational learning theory suggests, this learning can stimulate and even intensify product innovation (George et al, 2005;Zahra and George, 2002).…”

“…The focus of analyses of nonhigh-tech SMEs has been on innovation via alternative means to R&D investment, such as teamwork and HRM practices (Rammer et al, 2009). As the competitive advantage of non-hightech SMEs is rarely linked to technological developments, the orientation of these firms to access R&D knowledge internationally to achieve market success remains under-researched (exceptions include Evers, 2011;Hervas-Oliver et al, 2012a;Teixeira et al, 2013). We demonstrate that a nonhigh-tech SME's degree of internationalization (DOI) can enable it to better exploit R&D investments for higher performance.…”

Financiación y ejecución de las actividades de investigación y desarrollo en Latinoamérica

“…De los anteriores, el primero es quizás el más importante por el impacto que tiene sobre los demás indicadores (Sánchez, 2003;Afcha, 2012;Politzer, 2005;Pitassi, 2011), y particularmente sobre la competitividad (WEF, 2014;Varum et al, 2009;Teixeira et al, 2013; Marroquín y Ríos, 2012) y la capacidad de innovación de los territorios (WIPO et al, 2013;Orozco et al, 2010).…”