Innovation and export performance: a study of Italian high-tech SMEs
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Abstract
The objective of the paper is to examine the influence of innovation measures on the export intensity of Italian high technology small and medium firms. In fact, despite a growing number of empirical studies attempting to guide the approximation of the value of innovation and its relative impact on the export intensity, a distinction between innovation input and output indicators, both internal and external to the firms has not been clearly established. Drawing on the innovation and export management literature, we used a sample of Italian firms operating in the high tech settings within the manufacturing industry (HTSMEs). Applying a 3 years lag time approach, we ran various Tobit regression models. Our empirical results revealed that: (1) R&D employees do positively and significantly impact the export intensity of HTSMEs, whereas R&D expenditures do not; (2) the use of ‘Universities’ as external R&D partners has a positive influence on the export intensity of HTSMEs; (3) ‘Product innovations’ and the ‘Turnover derived from innovative activities’ positively and significantly affect the export intensity of firms in our sample.
Keywords
Export intensity Innovation R&D High technology small and medium firmsNotes
Acknowledgments
This paper has benefited from the constructive comments of participants at AIB-UK Chapter hosted at University of Glasgow (UK) and EIBA Conference hosted at University of Valencia (Spain). I would like to thank A. Zucchella and E. Cotta Ramusino from University of Pavia (Italy) for their helpful recommendation and guidance. I am also grateful to A. Majocchi form the Center for International Business & International Economy (CIBIE) at University of Pavia (Italy) for his comments and statistical advice. The contribution of two referees significantly improved the paper. I would like to dedicate this paper to the memory of my mentor Professor Jim Bell (1954–2009).
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