The effect of internal R&D efforts and external technology sourcing on achieving innovations in developing countries: the case of Tunisian manufacturing firms
by Saoussen Boujelben, Hassouna Fedhila
International Journal of Business Innovation and Research (IJBIR), Vol. 4, No. 4, 2010

Abstract: This paper provides an empirical investigation dealing with the success of innovative efforts in the context of developing countries. This study specially investigates whether internal and external innovative factors should promote innovations development in Tunisian manufacturing companies. Using a sample of 255 Tunisian manufacturing firms, our findings show that in-house R&D efforts as well as external absorbed know-how via technological cooperation agreements are significant drivers of products and processes innovation, mainly within large firms which operate in industries with high technological opportunity. Unlike previous studies carried out for developed countries our results tend to validate that occasional R&D activities are more efficient, in the context of developing countries, than continuous ones in terms of achieving successful innovations development. This might be due to the fact that continuous R&D activities need important endowment of financial resources and technological competencies which are not yet available within the firms in developing countries context.

Online publication date: Tue, 01-Jun-2010

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 Business Innovation and Research (IJBIR):
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