Title: Innovative behaviour and the performance of technology-based knowledge-intensive business services: an empirical study

Authors: Xavier Amores Bravo; Anna Arbussa; Andrea Bikfalvi; Josep Llach; Marc Saez

Addresses: Escola Politècnica Superior, Department OGEDP, Universitat de Girona, C/Mª Aurèlia Capmany, 61, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain ' Facultat de Ciències Econòmiques i Empresarials, Departament OGEDP, Universitat de Girona, Carrer de la Universitat de Girona, 10, Campus de Montilivi, 17003 Girona, Spain ' Escola Politècnica Superior, Departament OGEDP, Universitat de Girona, C/Mª Aurèlia Capmany, 61, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain ' Escola Politècnica Superior, Departament OGEDP, Universitat de Girona, C/Mª Aurèlia Capmany, 61, Campus de Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain ' Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), Universitat de Girona and CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Carrer de la Universitat de Girona, 10, Campus de Montilivi, 17003 Girona, Spain

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to learn more about how technology-based knowledge-intensive business service firms (t-KIBS) innovate. To do so, we examine the range of innovation practices employed by a sample of 50 t-KIBS in Catalonia, Spain and the impact these practices have on innovation and business results. We distinguish between practices widely used among manufacturing and services firms and practices that are more typically used by services. Our results reveal that, on the one hand, practices common to manufacturing and services are significant in explaining improvements in both innovation and financial performance, while on the other hand, innovation patterns and practices that are more often used in services are not significant in explaining either innovative outputs or increases in operational profits and returns. These results are important for refining the design of innovation policies at a regional level in Catalonia, as well as abroad. Further research is needed to establish whether the innovative behaviour of t-KIBS is more akin to that of manufacturing firms than to that of service firms.

Keywords: innovation; performance; service firms; service business; technology; knowledge-intensive; knowledge-intensive business services; KIBS; technology-based knowledge-intensive business services; t-KIBS.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2020.105397

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2020 Vol.26 No.1, pp.38 - 57

Accepted: 22 Jul 2017
Published online: 28 Feb 2020 *

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