Title: Intermediating between the international and local levels: business consultancy and advertising firms and their clients in Finland

Authors: Mika Kautonen, Anne Tuhkunen

Addresses: Unit for Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, Kanslerinrinne 1, 3rd floor, Pinni B3055, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland. ' Unit for Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, Kanslerinrinne 1, 3rd floor, Pinni B3062, FI-33014 University of Tampere, Finland

Abstract: The role of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS) as intermediaries and nodes in innovation systems has recently become more acknowledged. The increased need of clients to monitor and understand the international developments in their respective fields of business often calls for access to global business intelligence, in which KIBS can act as pipelines. The main purpose of this article is to study and discuss the role that KIBS play in their clients| innovation activities and, particularly, whether and how KIBS channel knowledge from the international to national and regional levels. Empirically, the focus particularly lies on two Finnish KIBS subsectors: advertising and marketing services and business and management consultancy, including some of the largest firms of these industries.

Keywords: internationalisation; knowledge-intensive business services; KIBS; advertising services; marketing services; business consultancy; management consultancy; global pipelines; local networks; partnerships; innovation systems; Finland.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTM.2008.022121

International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.10 No.2/3/4, pp.235 - 253

Published online: 19 Dec 2008 *

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