Innovation and connectivity in northern european technical cooperation networks

Pearson, Michael; Cabras, Ignazio

Abstract

The rationale and policy proposed by two collaborating projects is to increase innovation through improved connectivity among SMEs within northern European supply chains. To inform project policy we test the hypothesis ‘improvement in broadly defined connectivity as online business activity, investment abroad and technical cooperation abroad are associated with enhanced product or service innovation’. We test this hypothesis by referring to the EIM Business and Policy Research (2009) data set relating to the period 2006 to 2008. We carry out exploratory and probit analysis to identify a strong link between connectivity factors and increased product or service innovation. We also make comparisons between the Baltic, North Sea and other European regions with regard to innovativeness, connectivity and other factors. The Baltic Sea region displays significantly higher levels of innovation and technical cooperation abroad than other European regions, while online business activity is more prevalent in the Baltic and North Sea than in the other regions.

Citation

Pearson, M., & Cabras, I. (2014). Innovation and connectivity in northern european technical cooperation networks. International Journal of Innovation Management, 18(4), 1450022. https://doi.org/10.1142/s1363919614500224

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 1, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014-08
• Deposit Date: Feb 27, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 31, 2014
• Journal: International Journal of Innovation Management
• Print ISSN: 1363-9196
• Electronic ISSN: 1757-5877
• Publisher: World Scientific Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 1450022
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1142/s1363919614500224
• Keywords: Innovation; Connectivity; Small and Medium Enterprises; Technical Cooperation; Northern Europe
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/5929
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S1363919614500224
• Contract Date: Feb 27, 2013