Title: Factors of successful innovation in services and a performance comparison with manufacturing sector

Authors: Marko Ropret; Karmen Rodman; Borut Likar; Peter Fatur

Addresses: Department of Innovation and Technology Management, Faculty of Management Koper, University of Primorska, Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper, Slovenia. ' Department of Marketing and International Business, Faculty of Management Koper, University of Primorska, Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper, Slovenia ' Department of Innovation and Technology Management, Faculty of Management Koper, University of Primorska, Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper, Slovenia ' Department of Innovation and Technology Management, Faculty of Management Koper, University of Primorska, Cankarjeva 5, 6000 Koper, Slovenia

Abstract: The objective of the research was to identify innovation factors, most influential on the successfulness of service companies. The study was performed on 173 Slovenian service and manufacturing companies. The results of the regression analysis indicate several factors, influencing total benefit arising from innovation within the service sector: innovation triggers, training staff competencies, systemic conditions, market alignment of products and identification of opportunities. Unexploited potential is indicated in terms of systemic conditions and making use of innovation triggers. Interestingly, only few significant differences among the factors' mean values in service and manufacturing sector are identified as to the statistical tests.

Keywords: innovation factors; innovativeness; Slovenia; R&D; research and development; service companies; manufacturing industry; performance comparisons; regression analysis; total benefits; innovation triggers; training; staff competencies; systemic conditions; market alignment; product alignment; opportunity identification; opportunities; unexploited potential; management; learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2012.049351

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2012 Vol.12 No.4, pp.379 - 401

Published online: 28 Aug 2014 *

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