Knowledge Management, Innovation and Productivity

Innovation Cooperation and Innovation Activity of Slovenian Enterprises

“…Large firms are more frequently engaged in innovation cooperation than medium-sized firms, and medium-sized firms more frequently than small firms. 10 This is in line with the findings of Narula (2003), Veugelers and Cassiman (1999), and Kremp and Mairesse (2004). On the other hand, Sarkar et al (2001) claim that younger and smaller firms derive more value from network linkages than larger firms, presumably because smaller companies view the technological landscape as more uncertain.…”

“…As far as the 8 See Powell and Grodal (2005: 65-68) for an extensive overview of the studies claiming that innovation networking has a positive impact on a firm's innovation activity. See also Darby et al (2003) for the positive impact of innovation cooperation on patenting by US firms, Kremp and Mairesse (2004) for the positive impact of French firms' alliances for knowledge acquisition on their innovation intensity, and Adams and Mircea (2004) for the positive impact of research joint ventures on increasing innovation.…”

“…For Narula (2003), differences in technology partnering are an industry-specific phenomenon. Innovation cooperation is more intensive in technologically more intensive industries with rapid technological progress (Powell and Grodal, 2005;Kremp and Mairesse, 2004). This is no surprise since empirical studies share the common view that internal R&D intensity and technological sophistication are positively correlated with both the number and intensity of innovation cooperation (Veugelers, 1997;Veugelers and Cassiman, 1999;Freeman, 1991;Hagedoorn, 1995).…”

“…That is why own R&D activity is positively correlated with the intensity of networking (Freeman, 1991;Hagedoorn, 1995;Veugelers, 1997;Veugelers and Cassiman, 1999;Kremp and Mairesse, 2004;Powell and Grodal, 2005). Own R&D positively affects a firm's ability to exploit the opportunities arising from innovation cooperation (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990;Powel et al, 1996;Veugelers and Cassiman, 1999) 11 .…”

“…The difference is especially high in small-and medium-sized firms (Crowley, 2004: 4). 11 Kremp and Mairesse (2004), Ahuja (2000), Stuart (2000), and Powell and Grodal (2005) also mention a firm's level of innovativity and patenting intensity as being positively correlated with innovation cooperation. According to Powell and Grodal (2005), firms with many prior patents are more likely to form alliances than firms lacking patents.…”