Title: Internationalisation of firms' research and development activities: the experience from European Union framework programs

Authors: Kadri Ukrainski; Hanna Kanep; Margit Kirs; Erkki Karo

Addresses: School of Economics and Business Administration, University of Tartu, Liivi 4-206, 50409, Tartu, Estonia ' Universities Estonia, Ülikooli 18, 50090, Tartu, Estonia ' Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology (TALTECH), Akadeemia tee 3, SOC-442, 12611, Tallinn, Estonia ' Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology (TALTECH), Akadeemia tee 3, SOC-442, 12611, Tallinn, Estonia

Abstract: This article draws attention to the 'innovation divide' of the firms from EU new and old member states in participating in framework programs similarly to the higher education and research actors. The article uses the eCorda database of European Commission (EC) with the cut-off date of 28 February 2017 and existing literature to dissect the main issues/debates regarding the participation of countries of EU13 in the 8th framework program called Horizon 2020. The article discusses, that the underlying challenges are related to lower competitiveness and strategic focus of firms; lower administrative and project-management capacities of firms; and weaker networking capacities and relational proximity with EU15 actors.

Keywords: R&D; firms; EU framework programs; Horizon 2020; EU13; EU new member states.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEXPORTM.2018.099166

International Journal of Export Marketing, 2018 Vol.2 No.4, pp.291 - 315

Received: 17 Oct 2018
Accepted: 20 Dec 2018
Published online: 16 Apr 2019 *

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