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Determinants of R&D collaboration of service firms

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Abstract

This article examines the determinants of R&D collaboration of service firms. Different from manufacturing firms, we expect that types of innovation, public financing, innovation protection, purchase of external R&D, firm’s absorptive capacity, spillovers, and certain innovation barriers determine the firm’s decision to collaborate in R&D. Results indicate that firms that undertake R&D collaboration tend to undertake process innovation, receive public funding, can protect their innovations, and typically subcontract the development of their technologies. The article provides implications for theory and practice.

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Notes

  1. Theter (2002) offers the following definition of cooperation innovation or R&D cooperation: “active participation in joint R&D and other technological innovation projects with other organizations. It does not necessarily imply that both partners derive immediate commercial benefits from the venture” (p. 949).

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Acknowledgements

This article was supported by Cátedra Bancaja Jóvenes Emprendedores of Complutense University of Madrid and the research projects CCG07-UCM/HUM-2966 and SEJ2005-08805.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sonoco International Business Department, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, 555, 1705 College Street, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA

    C. Annique Un

  2. Departamento de Organización de Empresas, F. CC. Económicas y Empresariales, Complutense University of Madrid, Campus Somosaguas, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain

    Ana M. Romero-Martínez & Ángeles Montoro-Sánchez

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  1. C. Annique Un
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  2. Ana M. Romero-Martínez
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  3. Ángeles Montoro-Sánchez
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Correspondence to Ana M. Romero-Martínez.

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Un, C.A., Romero-Martínez, A.M. & Montoro-Sánchez, Á. Determinants of R&D collaboration of service firms. Serv Bus 3, 373–394 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-009-0065-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11628-009-0065-7

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