Abstract:
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This paper investigates relationships between cooperation, R&D, innovation and productivity
in Spanish firms. It uses a large sample of firm-level micro-data and applies an
extended structural model that aims to explain the effects of cooperation on R&D investment,
of R&D investment on output innovation, and of innovation on firms’ productivity
levels. It also analyses the determinants of R&D cooperation. Firms’ technology level is
taken into account in order to analyse the differences between high-tech and low-tech firms,
both in the industrial and service sectors. The database used was the Technological Innovation
Panel (PITEC) for the period 2004-2010. Empirical results show that firms which
cooperate in innovative activities are more likely to invest in R&D in subsequent years. As
expected, R&D investment has a positive impact on the probability of generating an innovation,
in terms of both product and process, for manufacturing firms. Finally, innovation
output has a positive impact on firms’ productivity, being greater in process innovations.
Keywords: innovation sources; productivity; R&D Cooperation |