Do innovation policies support micro and small enterprises to overcome barriers?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1108/INMR-12-2021-0234Palavras-chave:
Innovation capability, Micro and small enterprises, Innovation public policiesResumo
PurposeMicro and small enterprises (MSEs) play a crucial role in the development of any country by generating innovative ideas. However, they face inherent restrictions that hinder their innovation capabilities. It is essential to support innovation policies to overcome these barriers and foster innovation. This study aims to explore how innovation policies can reduce barriers to innovation in MSEs using the lens of innovation capabilities.
Design/methodology/approachThrough a multiple case study, the authors examined eight MSEs in São Paulo (Brazil) and five in Florence (Italy) to conduct this study. These countries share a similar level of importance when it comes to MSEs.
FindingsCurrent innovation policies could be more effective for MSEs if certain barriers they encounter are faced and resolved, such as limited financial resources and a scarcity of qualified workers. These barriers directly affect two key elements of their innovation capability: financial resources and human resources. Therefore, it is essential to develop innovation policies that target these elements directly to enable MSEs to overcome these obstacles and thrive.
Originality/valueThis study aims to enhance the knowledge of how innovation policies can help alleviate obstacles to innovation and how they can influence the various components that comprise the innovation capability of MSEs. This research can be valuable for policymakers as it provides insight into which innovation policies impact each aspect of innovation capability, enabling them to choose the most suitable policy based on the specific needs and local circumstances of the MSEs.
Downloads
Referências
Abdul-Hadi, N., Al-Sudairi, A., & Alqahtani, S. (2005). Prioritizing barriers to successful business process re‐engineering (BPR) efforts in Saudi Arabian construction industry. Construction Management and Economics, 23(3), 305–315. doi:10.1080/0144619042000301375.
Aldrich, H. E. (2012). The emergence of entrepreneurship as an academic field: A personal essay on institutional entrepreneurship. Research Policy, 41(7), 1240–1248.
Anderson, N., De Dreu, C. K. W., & Nijstad, B. A. (2004). The routinization of innovation research: A constructively critical review of the state-of-the-science. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(2), 147–173.
Bajmócy, Z. and Gébert, J. (2014). The outlines of innovation policy in the capability approach. Technology in Society, 38, 93–102.
Baldwin, J. and Lin, Z. (2002). Impediments to advanced technology adoption for Canadian manufacturers. Research Policy, 31(1), 1–18.
Barkhatov, V., Pletnev, D., & Campa, A. (2016). Key success factors and barriers for small businesses: Comparative analysis. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 221, 29–38.
Benito-Hernandez, S., Platero-Jaime, M., & Rodriguez-Duarte, A. (2012). Determinants of innovation in Spanish micro-enterprises: The importance of internal factors. Universia Business Review, 33, 104–121.
Bertamino, F., Bronzini, R., De Maggio, M., & Revelli, D. (2017). Regional policies for innovation: The case of technology districts in Italy. Regional Studies, 51(12), 1826–1839.
Cano-Kollmann, M., Hamilton, R. D., & Mudambi, R. (2017). Public support for innovation and the openness of firms’ innovation activities. Industrial and Corporate Change, 26(3), 421–442.
Carboni, O. A. (2017). The effect of public support on investment and R&D: An empirical evaluation on European manufacturing firms. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 117, 282–295.
Carvalho, A. (2017). Wishful thinking about R&D policy targets: What governments promise and what they actually deliver. Science and Public Policy, 45(3), 373–391.
Castillo, V., Figal Garone, L., Maffioli, A., Rojo, S., & Stucchi, R. (2020). Knowledge spillovers through labor mobility: An employer–employee analysis. The Journal of Development Studies, 56(3), 469–488.
Crossan, M. M. and Apaydin, M. (2010). A multi-dimensional framework of organizational innovation: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Management Studies, 47(6), 1154–1191.
Cunningham, P. and Ramlogan, R. (2016). The impact of innovation networks. In Edler, J., Cunningham, P., Gök, A., & Shapira, P. (Eds), Handbook of Innovation Policy Impact (pp. 279–317). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
D'Este, P., Iammarino, S., Savona, M., & von Tunzelmann, N. (2012). What hampers innovation? Revealed barriers versus deterring barriers. Research Policy, 41(2), 482–488.
Edler, J. (2016). The impact of policy measures to stimulate private demand for innovation. In Edler, J., Cunningham, P., Gök, A., & Shapira, P. (Eds), Handbook of Innovation Policy Impact (pp. 318–54). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Edler, J. and Fagerberg, J. (2017). Innovation policy: What, why, and how. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 33(1), 2–23.
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Building theories from case study research. The Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 277–295.
European Commission (2019). SBA fact sheet – Italy. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/38662/attachments/16/translations/en/renditions/native [accessed December 2020].
Flint, D. J., Larsson, E., Gammelgaard, B., & Mentzer, J. T. (2005). Logistics innovation: A customer value-oriented social process. Journal of Business Logistics, 26(1), 113–147.
Forsman, H. (2011). Innovation capacity and innovation development in small enterprises: A comparison between the manufacturing and service sectors. Research Policy, 40(5), 739–750.
Francis, D. and Bessant, J. (2005). Targeting innovation and implications for capability development. Technovation, 25(3), 171–183.
Galia, F. and Legros, D. (2004). Complementarities between obstacles to innovation: Evidence from France. Research Policy, 33(8), 1185–1199.
González-Torre, P., Álvarez, M., Sarkis, J., & Adenso-Díaz, B. (2010). Barriers to the implementation of environmentally oriented reverse logistics: Evidence from the automotive industry sector. British Journal of Management, 21(4), 889–904.
Helfat, C., Finkelstein, S., Mitchell, W., Peteraf, M. A., Singh, H., Teece, D. J., & Winter, S. G. (2007). Dynamic capabilities: Understanding strategic change in organizations. Oxford: Blackwell.
Hewitt-Dundas, N. and Roper, S. (2018). Exploring market failures in open innovation. International Small Business Journal, 36(1), 23–40.
Hoffman, K., Pajero, M., Bessant, J., & Perren, L. (1998). Small firms, R&D, technology and innovation in the UK: A literature review. Technovation, 18, 39–55.
Hogan, S. J., Soutar, G. N., McColl-Kennedy, J. R., & Sweeney, J. C. (2011). Reconceptualizing professional service firm innovation capability: Scale development. Industrial Marketing Management, 40(8), 1264–1273.
Hottenrott, H., Lopes-Bento, C., & Veugelers, R. (2017). Direct and cross scheme effects in a research and development subsidy program. Research Policy, 46(6), 1118–1132.
Hueske, A. K., Endrikat, J., & Guenther, E. (2015). External environment, the innovating organization, and its individuals: A multilevel model for identifying innovation barriers accounting for social uncertainties. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 35, 45–70.
Jones, B. and Grimshaw, D. (2016). The impact of skill formation policies on innovation. In Edler, J., Cunningham, P., Gök, A., & Shapira, P. (Eds.), Handbook of Innovation Policy Impact (pp. 108–128). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Jugend, D., Fiorini, P. D. C., Armellini, F., & Ferrari, A. G. (2020). Public support for innovation: A systematic review of the literature and implications for open innovation. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 156, 119985.
Lawson, B. and Samson, D. (2001). Developing innovation capability in organizations: A dynamic capabilities approach. International Journal of Innovation Management, 5(03), 377–400.
Lee, S., Park, G., Yoon, B., & Park, J. (2010). Open innovation in MSEs: An intermediated network model. Research Policy, 39(2), 290–300.
Lefebvre, E. and Lefebvre, L. A. (1992). Firm innovativeness and CEO characteristics in small manufacturing firms. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 9(3-4), 243–277.
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldana, J. (2013). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook. 3.ed. London: Sage.
Moraes Silva, D. R. D., Lucas, L. O., & Vonortas, N. S. (2020). Internal barriers to innovation and university-industry cooperation among technology-based SMEs in Brazil. Industry and Innovation, 27(3), 235–263.
Nascia, L. and Pianta, M. (2018). Research and innovation policy in Italy, MRPA paper n.89510. Available from: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/89510/
Necadová, M. and Scholleová, H. (2011). Motives and barriers of innovation behavior of companies. International Journal of Economic Management, 16, 832–838.
OECD. (2011). Business innovation policies: Selected country comparisons. OECD Publishing, Avaliable from: https://www.oecd.org/innovation/inno/businessinnovationpoliciesselectedcountrycomparisons.htm (accessed January 2020).
Raj, R. and Srivastava, K. B. (2016). Mediating role of organizational learning on the relationship between market orientation and innovativeness. The Learning Organization, 23(5), 370–384.
Ren, T. (2009). Barriers and drivers for process innovation in the petrochemical industry: A case study. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 26(4), 285–304.
Romijn, H. and Albaladejo, M. (2002). Determinants of innovation capability in small electronics and software firms in southeast England. Research Policy, 31(7), 1053–1067.
Saunila, M. (2016). Performance measurement approach for innovation capability in MSEs. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 65(2), 162–176.
SEBRAE (2015). Anuário do trabalho na micro e pequena empresa: 2014-2015. 6.ed. Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio às Micro e Pequenas Empresas (Org.). Departamento Intersindical de Estatística e Estudos Socioeconômicos–Brasília, DF; DIEESE.
Segarra-Blasco, A., García-Quevedo, J., & Teruel-Carrizosa, M. (2008). Barriers to innovation and public policy in Catalonia. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 4(4), 431–451.
Silva, G. and Dacorso, A. L. R. (2013). Inovação aberta como uma vantagem competitiva para a micro e pequena empresa. RAI-Revista de Administração e Inovação, 10(3), 251–269.
Silva, G. and Di Serio, L. C. (2021). Innovation in the “forgotten businesses”. Innovation and Management Review, 18(4), 350–364.
Silva, G., Serio, L. C. D., & Bezerra, E. D. (2019). Public policies on innovation and small businesses in a swinging economy. BAR-Brazilian Administration Review, 16(3), 1–26.
Spithoven, A., Vanhaverbeke, W., & Roijakkers, N. (2013). Open innovation practices in MSEs and large enterprises. Small Business Economics, 41(3), 537–562.
Talegeta, S. (2014). Innovation and barriers to innovation: Small and medium enterprises in addis ababa. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 2(1), 83–106.
Taneja, S., Pryor, M. G., & Hayek, M. (2016). Leaping innovation barriers to small business longevity. Journal of Business Strategy, 37(3), 44–51.
Tourigny, D. and Le, C. (2004). Impediments to innovation faced by Canadian manufacturing firms. Econ. Innov. New Technol., 13(3), 217–250.
Uyarra, E. and Ramlogan, R. (2016). The impact of cluster policy on innovation. In Edler, J., Cunningham, P., Gök, A., & Shapira, P. (Eds.), Handbook of Innovation Policy Impact (pp. 196–238). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Vanino, E., Roper, S., & Becker, B. (2019). Knowledge to money: Assessing the business performance effects of publicly-funded R&D grants. Research Policy, 48(7), 1714–1737.
Voss, C., Tsikriktsis, N., & Frohlich, M. (2002). Case research in operations management. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 22(2), 195–219.
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed). London: Sage Publications.
Downloads
Publicado
Edição
Seção
Licença
Copyright (c) 2024 Alexandre de Vicente Bittar, Luiz Carlos Di Serio
Este trabalho está licenciado sob uma licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
• O(s) autor(es) autoriza(m) a publicação do artigo na revista;
• O(s) autor(es) garante(m) que a contribuição é original e inédita e que não está em processo de avaliação em outra(s) revista(s);
• A revista não se responsabiliza pelas opiniões, ideias e conceitos emitidos nos textos, por serem de inteira responsabilidade de seu(s) autor(es);
• É reservado aos editores o direito de proceder ajustes textuais e de adequação do artigos às normas da publicação.
