Knowledge context, learning and innovation: an integrating framework

Abstract

In this conceptual paper, we develop a framework which identifies those elements of firms' knowledge context which are important for innovation, and the mechanisms through which that knowledge impacts on firms' innovation performance. We make four main contributions to the existing literature. First, our characterisation of knowledge context provides the basis for a more specific identification of which elements of firms' knowledge environment are important for innovation, discriminating between spatial, sectoral and network influences. Second, we reflect the role of innovation ambition in shaping firms' knowledge search strategies. Third, we differentiate between firms' interactive and non-interactive knowledge search activities and recognise that these may be complemented by unanticipated and serendipitous knowledge spillovers. Finally, we employ the notion of encoding capacity to reflect firms' internal ability to assimilate and apply external knowledge, and clarify its distinctiveness from the more general concept of absorptive capacity. Our framework provides an integrating mechanism for existing empirical studies, and suggests a number of new research directions related to the determinants of innovation performance and the heterogeneity of innovation outcomes.

The need for financial knowledge acquisition tools and technology by small business entrepreneurs

“…We found a negative relationship that restaurant entrepreneurs possessing a lower level of existing financial knowledge are more likely to acquire financial knowledge than others. This finding is not consistent with the studies by (Roper & Love, 2017) in that the higher level of knowledge acquisition is determined by the higher level prior or existing knowledge base level.…”

“…Despite its limitations, this study makes an important contribution to the existing literature, extending the research of Roper & Love (2017) in that lower level, prior knowledge leads small business entrepreneurs to acquire more financial knowledge since they tend to be responsible for all tasks related to business survival. Furthermore, six financial knowledge aspects in relation to restaurant entrepreneurs are identified, namely financing, record keeping and accounting, cash management, cost calculation, business planning, and a feasibility study.…”

Universities and open innovation: the determinants of network centrality

“…The emergence of the network paradigm has led to a growing interest and recognition in understanding the influence of network structures upon innovation (Bergman 2009;Ter Wal and Boschma 2009;Broekel and Hartog 2013;Boschma et al 2014;Andrade Rojas et al 2018;De Noni et al 2018;Liang and Liu 2018;Szücs 2018), in particular the network structures pertaining to knowledge flows and patterns of innovation (Glückler 2007;Huber 2012a, b;Sebestyén and Varga 2013;Bogers et al 2017;Roper and Love 2018). Research on the performance of organisations, such as firms and universities, has made significant advances through studies that analyse the networks within which these organisations are embedded.…”

Cooperation of enterprises in the functional area in the field of innovation

“…A positive role in the development of SMEs can be played by the proximity of cooperation partners, which enables building trust, networking, cooperation in the field of production, undertaking joint ventures, innovation, exchange of knowledge and information, etc. In this approach, the proximity of cooperation partners may play the role of an accelerator in the process of developing innovative capacity [Roper, Love, 2018]. The greater the scale and scope of cooperation in the field of innovation is, the greater the possibilities for the development of companies are, and at the same time the importance of barriers to enterprise development decreases [Micek, Pyziak, 2017;Huggins, Thompson, 2015;Stawasz, Ropęga, 2014].…”