The role of openness in explaining innovation performance in a regional context

Abstract

We investigate the role of search strategy in shaping firms' innovation performance. Firms use a wide range of external actors and sources to help them achieve and sustain innovation. In particular, the extension (breadth) and the relevance (depth) of such sources determine firms' ability to extract and exploit knowledge and new ideas and, thus, to be innovative. Using a sample of firms in a regional context active in R&D, we built separate measures of breadth and depth for local (on a regional scale) and global (outside the regional context) search. This allows us to investigate whether localized or global knowledge spillovers are in place. We find that a wider set of partners increases coordination costs, while greater depth in search strategies contributes to innovation. We find that a more diversified search strategy at the local level (greater breadth of search) results in significant payoffs in terms of innovation, while diversifying the partnership with Italian partners has a smaller, although still positive, effect. In contrast, the benefits of depth of innovation are greatest at the global level. In addition, a broader set of information sources for R&D projects has a significant positive effect on innovation. Finally, firms that resort to R&D subsidies are less innovative.

Knowledge networks and industrial structure for regional innovation: An analysis of patents collaborations in Italy

“…D'Ambrosio, Gabriele, Schiavone, and Villasalero (), for instance, underline the role of openness in explaining innovation performance in regions. They highlight that a more diversified strategy (breadth) at the local level results in significant payoffs in terms of innovation, while the benefits of depth are greatest only at the global level.…”

International Inbound Open Innovation and International Performance

“…The literature, both theoretical and empirical, seems to show in general that open innovation has a positive effect on performance (Zhao, Sun, & Xu, 2016). However, some previous studies on open innovation show conflicting results and claim some drawbacks that complicate the achievement of better performance D'Ambrosio, Gabriele, Schiavone, & Villasalero, 2016;Wuyts & Dutta, 2014). Following some authors such as Lavie & Miller (2008), we consider that these drawbacks could be especially relevant in an international context.…”

“…The fourth contribution involves measuring international performance through international patents (D'Ambrosio et al, 2016;Hsieh, 2013;Putnam, 1996), which contributes to the literature on international business by measuring performance through international intellectual property rights, and not by international turnover or degree of satisfaction with the international process, which have hitherto been the most widely used measures (Dimitratos, Lioukas, & Carter, 2004;Kotabe, Srinivasan, & Aulakh, 2002). To be more competitive in international contexts, some previous studies claim the relevance of this legally protected knowledge as international patents (Thomä & Bizer, 2013;Fischer & Leidinger, 2014).…”

Adapting the Research Development and Innovation (RD & I) Value Chain in Psychology to Educational Psychology Area

“…There are different examples of how the RD & I chain can help improve the quality of actions taken in Educational Psychology. In Spain, competitive improvements in the RD & I chain can be pursued through public bidding for Research Projects (D'Ambrosio et al, 2016). …”