Title: Motives for international cooperation on R&D and innovation: empirical evidence from Argentinean and Spanish firms

Authors: Mónica Edwards-Schachter; Elena Castro-Martínez; Mabel Sánchez-Barrioluengo; Guillermo Anlló; Ignacio Fernández-De-Lucio

Addresses: Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management, INGENIO (CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de Valencia), Camino de Vera, s/n. Edificio 8E – 46022, Valencia, Spain ' Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management, INGENIO (CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de Valencia), Camino de Vera, s/n. Edificio 8E – 46022, Valencia, Spain ' Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management, INGENIO (CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de Valencia), Camino de Vera, s/n. Edificio 8E – 46022, Valencia, Spain ' Instituto Interdisciplinario de Economía Política (IIEP), Faculty of Economics, University of Buenos Aires, Av. Córdoba 2122 2º P. (C1120 AAQ), Buenos Aires, Argentina ' Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management, INGENIO (CSIC-Universitat Politècnica de Valencia), Camino de Vera, s/n. Edificio 8E – 46022, Valencia, Spain

Abstract: This paper focuses on the strategic motives and firm characteristics that influence cooperation for R&D and innovation among Argentinean and Spanish firms. On the basis of a review of different theoretical perspectives we propose and apply a taxonomy of motives for inter-firm technological cooperation. We combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies, developing a database of 540 innovative firms and conducting a survey that obtained evidence from 104 of these firms, supplemented by information gathered from 19 in-depth interviews. Our results show that technological cooperation is not easy to achieve and determined by a complex interplay of intentions and practical opportunities. The lack of convergence in the motives for cooperation creates un-favourable conditions and affects negatively the initiation of the cooperation processes. These differences together with asymmetries in access to funding are important obstacles to cooperation with implications in the administration of national policy incentives and its regulation mechanisms.

Keywords: innovation; R&D; research and development; inter-firm cooperation; funding programmes; technological development; cost reduction; firms; Argentina; Spain; technological cooperation; international cooperation; motivation; firm characteristics; national policy incentives; regulation mechanisms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2013.055162

International Journal of Technology Management, 2013 Vol.62 No.2/3/4, pp.128 - 151

Published online: 10 Sep 2013 *

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