Title: Differences of innovative behaviour between national and foreign firms: measuring the impact of foreign firms on national innovation systems [1]

Authors: Jose Molero, Joost Heijs

Addresses: Complutense Institute for International Studies of the Complutense, University of Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas S/N, 28223 Madrid, Spain. Complutense Institute for International Studies of the Complutense, University of Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas S/N, 28223 Madrid, Spain

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to offer an analysis of the repercussions of the innovative activities of foreign firms on National Systems of Innovation (NSI) focused on the presentation of policy recommendations for innovation policies. Using the data set of the first Community Innovation Survey (CIS), we carried out a parallel examination of innovatory behaviour between national firms belonging to a group compared to MNC subsidiaries using contingency tables and by the estimation of a logistic regression model. On this basis, we show that foreign firms have similar innovative behaviour to national ones and that their influence on the national system of innovation depends on more indirect mechanisms.

Keywords: national innovation systems; Research and Development (R&D); internationalisation of innovation; multinational companies; innovatory behaviour.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2002.000478

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2002 Vol.2 No.2/3, pp.122-145

Published online: 16 Jul 2003 *

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