Investing in Networking Competences or Establishing in Hot Spots?. The Innovation Dilemna

Authors

  • Caroline Hussler UTBM
  • Patrick Ronde GRAICO

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242009000400001

Keywords:

innovation, networking competences, spillovers

Abstract

The target of this paper is twofold: investigating open innovation practices that are used up in French manufacturing industries, and evaluating the impact on firms' innovativeness of those networking abilities in comparison to internal development of competences and to spillovers available in the neighborhood. Concretely, thanks to a huge database on competences for innovation, the paper estimates the impact of different categories of innovative competences (mostly relational ones) on innovative performance. This empirical analysis first shows that if networking abilities are the core innovative competences, strategies to tap into external innovation sources vary across sectors. Second, this work allows to precise the relational competences that firms should develop in order to improve their innovative performance.

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Author Biographies

Caroline Hussler, UTBM

Titular of a PhD in Economics and a master degree in Management, Caroline HUSSLER is currently Associate Professor at UTBM (University of Technology of Belfort-Montbéliard, France) and a research fellow at RECITS (Research lab in social sciences interested in technological change). Her main research interests lies in investigating the determinants of territorial innovation and economic development. Her works have been published in major international journals such as Research Policy, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Science and Public Policy or Economics of Innovation and New Technology. She is an editorial board-member of the Open Management Journal.

Patrick Ronde, GRAICO

Titular of a PhD in Economics, Patrick RONDE is currently Associate Professor at UHA (University of Haute-Alsace, Mulhouse, France) and director of the GRAICO-lab (Research laboratory in economics and management dedicated to the analysis of innovation and learning in organisations). His main research topics are management of knowledge, technology and innovation, geographical economics and decision making science. His work (both econometrical and theoretical) has been published in major international journals such as Research Policy, Technological Forecasting and Social Change or Regional Studies.

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Published

2009-12-03

How to Cite

Hussler, C., & Ronde, P. (2009). Investing in Networking Competences or Establishing in Hot Spots?. The Innovation Dilemna. Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, 4(4), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242009000400001

Issue

Section

Research Articles