Title: Where do innovators get their ideas? The case of Canadian food processing plants

Authors: Brian P Cozzarin, David Sabourin

Addresses: Department of Management Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. ' Micro–Economic Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6, Canada

Abstract: This paper constructs an innovation taxonomy that uniquely identifies the innovation profile of Canadian food processing plants. Categorising plants as either product innovators or process innovators is problematic as many do both. In this study, plants are assigned to one of four innovator types. Comprehensive innovators perform all types of innovation and rely on R&D units and spillovers for their sources of ideas. Combined product-process innovators introduce combinations of product and process innovations and rely exclusively on spillovers and related plants for their innovative ideas. Process-dominant innovators are strongly management driven, while product-dominant innovators rely on production feedback.

Keywords: innovation; food processing; research and development; Canada; product innovators; process innovators.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2004.004760

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2004 Vol.4 No.2/3, pp.271 - 289

Published online: 07 Jul 2004 *

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