Cooperation in Innovation Networks: The Case of Danish and German SMEs

Abstract

Information is a critical resource in innovation processes. External information can be helpful in innovation processes to complete them successfully. SMEs in particular are therefore advised to draw on consulting in innovation processes, as they cannot ensure the necessary information flow internally due to the lesser resources they have compared to larger companies. To promote economically relevant information of SMEs, the public sector provides specific advisory services. These services, however, are rarely utilized compared to direct customer and supplier contacts. From strategic management's point of view, the involvement of intermediaries in the innovation process is accompanied by the risk of losing specific knowledge to the business environment. Based on an empirical comparative study of Danish and German SMEs-Danish companies utilize public as well as private consulting services more often-determinants of the usage of business consultancies in innovation processes are elicited.

Small scale entrepreneurship – understanding behaviors of aspiring entrepreneurs in a rural area

“…Filieri et al (2014) found that bonding actors leveraged the process of network formation before cohesion was observable. Especially, actorssuch as consultantsstep in the role as mediators and can compensate missing strong ties and/or inspire the aspiring entrepreneurs with new ideas (Gretzinger et al, 2010). This is in line with Sørensen (2016) who recommends for rural areas a stronger support of relationships among communities to trigger the use of weak ties.…”

“…This is in line with our model. Even if consultants are viewed from their customer's viewpoint as weak ties (Gretzinger et al, 2010), they can be used by aspiring entrepreneurs to leverage the process of (business and customer) network formation. Owing to their bridging function, they can support aspiring entrepreneurs in accessing complementing resources and acquiring new business partners and customers.…”

“…Moreover, weak ties support the process of promoting aspiring businesses and provide inspiring information for the customization process. While information flow within similar social strongly bonded circles mainly distribute redundant information (Burt, 1992;Jack, 2005;Kogut, 2000), weak ties are advantageous in acquiring new ideas and inspiration stemming from other social systems (Gretzinger et al, 2010;Ibarra, 1993). Even if not as likely as strong ties, weak ties can bridge complementing actors Understanding behaviors and/or teams.…”

Normative Environmental Configuration of SMEs within the Sustainable Development Discourse in South Africa: An Empirical Study

“…Thus, these interactions among members of the same profession institute and reinforce practices which are held to be acceptable and legitimate within the given profession. This results in homogeneous perceptions, behaviours and practices in the form of normative isomorphism [28]. In line with normative isomorphism, a study by Gretzinger et al [29] found that SMEs in Denmark and Germany utilised professional consultancy and cooperated with their counterparts in developing new products.…”

Overcoming the Liability of Foreignness: A Typology and Model of Immigrant Entrepreneurs

“…According to Bourdieu (1972), social fields represent competitive arenas or networks in which agents use various resources and strategies compatible with field‐specific rules, to occupy positions that provide a relative advantage in relation to other agents, in terms of practices of what one can do, and capital maximisation (Walter, 2014). Bourdieu (1986) distinguishes four types of capital: (i) economic – a person's fortune and revenues; (ii) cultural – education, experiences and attained learning resulting in specific intellectual capabilities and qualifications; (iii) social – a person's social relations that allow access to material and immaterial resources (Gretzinger et al ., 2010); and (iv) symbolic – an individual's legitimacy or credibility, as social recognition of his/her economic, social, and cultural capital. All forms of capital are interdependent and can be ultimately converted into symbolic capital (Bourdieu, 1972).…”