Organisations and regional innovative capability: the case of the chambers of commerce and industry in Germany

Abstract

Spatial innovation models focus on the region and highlight the social and economic interactions of the actors as a main factor in regional innovative output. This paper examines the role of German chambers of commerce and industry (CCIs), which could be relevant for the innovation process through: (1) moderating or founding regional and local (innovative) initiatives; (2) creating and maintaining formal and informal networks; (3) building reputations and providing references; (4) providing information and advisory services; (5) conducting final examinations in vocational training; and (6) founding educational institutions. The empirical analyses show a positive impact of CCI expenditures on the number of start-ups and the number of patents, as well as a positive impact of seminar and information day participation on the number of start-ups. The results lead to the assumption that the network effect (functions 2 and 3) plays a more important role than providing pure information and advice (function 4).

Social Structure of Regional Entrepreneurship: The Impacts of Collective Action of Incumbents on De Novo Entrants

“…As with other forms of social interactions, collective action organizations foster the creation of social ties and can be viewed as exclusive local networks that are nestled in macro network-based social structures. However, in contrast to other forms of social interactions that do not share a common goal, collective action organizations facilitate collaboration among incumbent firms to make goods available to their members (Olson, 1965) such as information dissemination and collective representation (Maennig, Ölschläger, & Schmidt-Trenz, 2015; Tura & Harmaakorpi, 2005). Although some goods are purely public because they are available to both members and nonmembers, including new entrants (e.g., free industry information that is published online), some are quasi-public in nature because they are only available to member firms.…”

Trailblazers in green business: unconventional practices and motivation within a chamber of commerce business network

“…Despite the services provided by chambers of commerce, there are also implications on which offered programs are the most effective. In their studies on chambers of commerce in Germany, Maennig et al (2015) studied the role chambers play in innovation. They concluded that chambers were good at establishing networks, encouraging civic engagement, building member reputations, providing businesses information and educational opportunities, and advisory services.…”

“…Chambers of commerce are networks designed to support economic development and improve quality of life. These collective action bodies represent the interests of members and may contribute toward environmental policy (Bennett, 1995; Maennig et al. , 2015).…”

What do business associations do?

“…Associations can play various economic roles in relation to the provision of knowledge required for a business community. Firms can organize and co-fund training and certification activities through business associations (Maennig et al, 2015;McCormick et al, 2008). This helps to overcome the free-rider problem inherent in the spread of on-the-job training and non-specific, transferable knowledge, as firms can funnel-in employees from other companies who have invested in knowledge, leading to low-effort equilibrium.…”