A new role for small business in innovation networks: an industrial perspective
by Gilles Lambert, Veronique Schaeffer
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (IJESB), Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010

Abstract: The strategies implemented by businesses to preserve or improve their competitiveness evolve over time since they are inscribed in an economic environment that is in a natural and permanent mutation. The central position of radical innovation in an environment marked by the intensification of competition, the need for returns on investment and the permanent acceleration of technological evolution is expressed through numerous organisational innovations related to the innovative activity of companies. One of the outstanding characteristics of the introduced innovations is the extension of Research and Development (R&D) activities to collaborations between companies and the building of innovation networks that imply diverse actors. The role of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in innovation networks has evolved. To remain competitive, they must also develop their innovative capacity. In large companies, changes in their innovation strategy are most notably characterised by openness to partners who are not the usual ones; SMEs are among these unusual partners.

Online publication date: Mon, 30-Nov-2009

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (IJESB):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

    Username:        Password:         

Forgotten your password?


Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com