STI–DUI learning modes, firm–university collaboration and innovation

Drivers, Processes, and Outcomes of the STI and DUI Modes of Innovation: A Systematic Review

Two promising streams of research in innovation involve the innovation stemming from the interaction of multiple actors (i.e. innovation networks) and innovation modes [the modes focused on science, technology, and innovation (STI) and learning by doing, using, and interacting (DUI)]. However, scholars have not exerted much effort in cross-referencing these two literature streams. Following a protocol to conduct a systematic review of the literature, through Scimago journals ranking (Q1 and Q2 classification) available at the Web of Science and B-On databases, this study considered 44 articles for eligibility. Moreover, it systematically considers the key features of innovation emerging from DUI networks versus STI networks. Finally, it contributes to future innovation research by comprehensively reviewing the drivers, processes, and outcomes of the STI and DUI innovation emerging from networks.

Factors of Collaboration Affecting the Performance of Alternative Energy Patents in South Korea from 2010 to 2017

In recent years, innovation of alternative energy technologies to manage climate change has become an important goal worldwide. South Korea has been focusing on the innovation of alternative energy technologies through its investments and innovation systematic capabilities. This study quantitatively examines the effect of national innovation systems that are designed to improve the performance of innovation. To do so, this study analyzes the effects of financial support from the national research and development (R&D) project, and collaborations between institutions regarding the national innovation systems on patent performance based on citation count, which is a useful indicator of patent quality. Specifically, this study analyzes the effects of financial support from the national R&D project, as well as collaborations between universities, industries, and the government regarding patent performance using the patent data of South Korea. These data were used in congruence with a hurdle negative binomial model, using data from 2010 to 2017. Consequently, this study establishes that financial supports from national R&D project are generally inefficient. The relational aspects of the South Korean innovation systems are also generally inefficient, while collaborations between universities and industries contribute toward improving the performance of alternative energy patents.

Cooperation and novelty innovation: a study for Argentina

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the influence of cooperation on the degree of novelty of technological innovations introduced by industrial firms in Argentina. This influence is analysed from three perspectives: cooperation by partner type [business partners or scientific and technological centres (S&T) partners]; cooperation by number of partner types, from no cooperation to cooperation with two partner types; and cooperation by goals pursued by firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The data come from one of the last national innovation surveys conducted in Argentina. The study controls for endogeneity, using instrumental variable procedures within the conditional mixed-process (CMP) framework.

Findings

The main result is the influence of cooperation with universities and S&T centres on the introduction of more novel innovations, which was found both in estimations with and without endogeneity correction. This influence was verified for more complex goals (R&D, technology transfer and industrial design and engineering) as well as for less complex ones (tests and trials, human resources training, quality management and certification). Business cooperation seems to impact only on a lower degree of novelty for more complex goals. The increase in the number of partners that the firm cooperates with, from no cooperation to joint cooperation with two partner types, influences more novel innovations.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations and proposals for future research are discussed at the end of the study.

Practical implications

The results of this study contrast with the high propensity to cooperate with business partners shown by firms in Argentina and other Latin American countries. Therefore, this paper may help formulate more effective policies to promote cooperation conducive to firm innovation performance. Limitations and proposals for future research are discussed at the end of the study.

Originality/value

Although there is empirical evidence on this topic for developed countries, firm-level studies on cooperation and degree of novelty are scarce for Latin America. In addition, this paper analyses cooperation not only by type of partner but also by type of goal. This study attempted to control for endogeneity by using instrumental variables within the CMP framework.

Business innovation modes and their impact on innovation outputs: Regional variations and the nature of innovation across EU regions

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A cross-country analysis of business innovation modes using CIS-Eurostat 2014 regional data.

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Comprehensive investigation of internal and external DUI and STI drivers.

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Empirical results confirm regional variations in the impact of innovation modes on innovation outputs.

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Our findings also support the hypothesis of technological nuances of innovation; in particular DUI drivers are very important for most types of innovation output.

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Specific policy actions are required to support the effective use of DUI (and STI) innovation modes and drivers across European regions.

This work contributes to the literature on innovation systems and, in particular, delivers a thorough analysis on business innovation modes across a range of regional contexts. This analysis refers to the strand of literature on STI (Science and Technology-based Innovation) and DUI innovation modes (Innovation based on learning-by-Doing, learning-by-Using, learning-by-Interacting) that have been intensely debated over the past few years. It is a relevant area of research because it discusses the most effective innovation mode adopted by firms and their regions in the context of increasing global competition. In this scientific area, we inquire whether and how the regional context and its specific technological capabilities produce a differentiated impact of STI and DUI innovation modes on innovation outputs, alongside the nature of innovation outputs. In this respect, this study advances the literature on regional innovation systems that have not been analyzed by other scholarly contributions in this strand who have mostly discussed the differentiated impact of innovation modes across individual countries, industries, and business networks. Based on the large heterogeneity of regions across the European geography, we move beyond the set of individual country studies and develop a thorough analysis based on the Community Innovation Survey (CIS 2014) data from the Eurostat office about EU regions. Empirical evidence based on the application of a multiple treatment model suggests that both regional specificities and the nature of innovation matter. In addition, the DUI innovation mode proves to be often more important than expected for most types of innovation output.

Are all innovation modes beneficial to firms’ innovation performance? New findings from an emerging market

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the influence of individual and combined effects of the mode focused on scientific and technological-based innovation (STI) and the mode based on learning by doing, by using and by interacting (DUI) on firms’ innovation performance and whether information technology (IT) moderates the relation between different innovation modes and firms’ innovation performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model linking innovation modes, IT (including IT infrastructure and the frequency of IT usage) and firms’ innovation performance was developed, and the proposed hypotheses were tested empirically using World Bank’s micro survey data collected from manufacturing firms in an emerging market (China).

Findings

The results show that individually both STI mode of innovation and DUI mode of innovation have a significant positive effect on firms’ innovative performance, whereas the combined STI and DUI mode of innovation has a negative impact. IT infrastructure moderates the relation between STI (or STI and DUI) mode of innovation and firms’ innovation performance, while the frequency of IT usage has no moderating effects on the relationship between any kind of innovation modes and firms’ innovation performance.

Research limitations/implications

Although some results are quite different from what is expected, these are insightful for both academics and policymakers. The use of cross-sectional data has its limitations. Therefore, future studies based on longitudinal data should be conducted. This study points toward the need to conduct the meta-analysis to better explain the existing inconsistencies in the findings of relevant quantitative studies.

Practical implications

This study provides firm managers with practical implications. The conclusions of this study imply that the impact of the combined STI and DUI mode of innovation is likely to be contextual, so firms should make contingent decisions on whether to engage in STI mode of innovation and DUI mode of innovation simultaneously according to their own organizational conditions. Moreover, face-to-face contacts are particularly important when a firm engages in DUI mode of innovation. In addition, the focus of IT strategy of firms engaged in STI mode of innovation should be on perfecting their IT infrastructure rather than increasing the frequency of IT usage.

Originality/value

This paper provides new evidence for the relation between business innovation modes and firms’ innovation performance, and it is one of the few empirical studies that focus on emerging markets. More importantly, this paper proposes a persuasive explanation framework for understanding the heterogeneous impacts of the combined STI and DUI mode of innovation on firms’ innovation performance. This is the first study that examines the moderating effect of IT on the relationship between business innovation modes and a firm’s innovation performance.

STUDY ON TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION PARTNER AND INNOVATION PERFORMANCE: FOCUSING ON INCREMENTAL AND RADICAL INNOVATION

This study conducts an empirical analysis on the relationship between innovation and the type of partner based on the assumption that the knowledge and information acquired from partners would vary depending on their type from the perspective of learning through technology cooperation. It further expands the discussion by looking at the relationship between geographic distance between partners and innovation as well as absorptive capacity, a variable that moderates it. The knowledge required for product development is classified into explicit and implicit knowledge, and based on such knowledge type, the form of learning and innovation is categorized into STI (Science, Technology and Innovation) and DUI (Doing, Using and Interacting). Accordingly, technology cooperation partners are divided into STI and DUI partners. The study analyzes the effect of the cooperation partner type on radical and incremental innovation. Unlike the hypothesis, cooperation with a STI partner had a positive effect on incremental innovation while a DUI partner had such effect on radical innovation. The geographical distance between partners had a negative effect on incremental innovation and the moderating effect of appropriability was not verified.