Open access
Author
Date
2009-04Type
- Working Paper
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics
Abstract
This paper investigates the relationship between technology specialization and innovation performance of firms emphasizing technology transfer activities with universities as an important knowledge source in order to attenuate the opportunity costs of technological specialization. Based on an econometric analysis combining patent data and survey data on technology transfer activities of firms it was found that technology transfer is positively related with the sales share of innovative products. Following the “technology trajectory (path)” increases the probability of an above average innovation performance. Taking into account the combined effects of transfer activities and technological specialization and in this way approximating the idea that transfer activities enable a firm to be specialized and keep the knowledge base broad and up-to-date, we detect a significant positive relationship between the combined effect (transfer and specialization) and the innovation performance of a firm. Smaller firms tend to benefit more from the combination of technology specialization and transfer activities with universities compared to larger firms. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-a-005791973Publication status
publishedJournal / series
KOF Working PapersVolume
Publisher
KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH ZurichSubject
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER; Diversification; COMPANIES; PRODUCTION RANGE + DIVERSIFICATION (BUSINESS ECONOMICS); PRODUCT INNOVATION + PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT; Innovation; Knowledge and Technology Transfer; PRODUKTINNOVATION + PRODUKTWEITERENTWICKLUNG; Specialization; TECHNOLOGIETRANSFER; PRODUKTIONSSTRUKTUR + DIVERSIFIKATION (BETRIEBSWIRTSCHAFT); Firms; UNTERNEHMENOrganisational unit
02525 - KOF Konjunkturforschungsstelle / KOF Swiss Economic Institute
More
Show all metadata
ETH Bibliography
yes
Altmetrics