Purpose of the study The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of some drivers - both internal (n° employees, revenue, competences, investment in R&D) and external (collaboration, information sources, public funding) - on the development of innovation activities in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Methodology Based on a theoretical framework derived from the literature, it has been conducted an empirical analysis involving 122 agri-food SMEs of the Campania Region that belong to the grain-pasta, olive-oil, dairy and wine supply chains. The data has been elaborated through the cluster analysis technique in order to explore any meaningful patterns that may exist in terms of the innovation capacity. Results Three clusters with different innovation modes have been identified: Innovative and collaborative (IC); Innovative and non-collaborative (INC); Non-innovative (NI). The analysis reveals that the main discriminating factors of the innovative capacity are the collaboration with different local stakeholders the access to information sources and the ability to obtain public funding for innovation. Research limits A longitudinal analysis of some best practices of innovative SMEs could offer a better understanding of the relationships between some drivers and the results of the innovation. Other limits is the lack of the analysis of characteristics of the entrepreneur as the main dynamic actors of the business ri-organizational process. Practical implications The dissemination of "best practices" can promote the adoption of collaborative practices by SMEs of the others two clusters INC and NI, given the fact that these usually innovate by imitation. Originality of the study This is the first quantitative study focusing on the innovation capacity of agri-food SMEs in the Campania Region. The study specifically highlights the existence of some innovative SMEs that generally are overlooked by national and European statistical surveys.
Obiettivo del paper Il lavoro ha l'obiettivo di analizzare i principali fattori - sia interni all'azienda (n° addetti, fatturato, competenze, investimenti in R&S) che esterni (collaborazione, fonti informative, finanziamenti pubblici) - che favoriscono lo sviluppo di attività innovative nelle PMI del settore agroalimentare. Metodologia Sulla base di un framework teorico desunto dalla letteratura, è stata realizzata un'indagine empirica che ha coinvolto 122 PMI agroalimentari campane, scelte tra quelle appartenenti alle filiere pastaria, olivicola, lattiero-casearia e vitivinicola. I dati ottenuti sono stati successivamente elaborati attraverso la cluster analysis per rilevare il contributo di alcuni dei fattori alle modalità di innovazione delle PMI. Risultati L'analisi ha permesso di individuare tre gruppi di imprese con differenti innovation patterns: Innovative e Collaborative (IC), Innovative e Non Collaborative (INC) e Non Innovative (NI). Dall'analisi dei dati emerge che i principali fattori discriminanti la capacità innovativa sono rappresentati dalla collaborazione con diversi stakeholder locali, dall'accesso a fonti informative e dal ricorso ai finanziamenti pubblici. Limiti della ricerca La realizzazione di un'indagine longitudinale di alcune best practice di piccole imprese innovative consentirebbe di approfondite il nesso di causalità tra alcuni fattori (driver) e risultati ottenuti attraverso i processi innovativi. Ulteriore limite è l'analisi delle caratteristiche dell'imprenditore quale attore del processo di cambiamento aziendale. Implicazioni pratiche La diffusione di "best practice" può incentivare l'adozione di pratiche collaborative da parte delle PMI afferenti ai due cluster INC e NI, anche in virtù del fatto che solitamente esse innovano per imitazione. Originalità del lavoro Il lavoro rappresenta un primo studio della capacità innovativa delle PMI agroalimentari della Campania. Inoltre, il lavoro ha consentito di evidenziare alcune realtà innovative che sfuggono alle rilevazioni statistiche nazionali ed europee.
L'innovazione nelle piccole e medie imprese agroalimentari della Regione Campania
Marcella De Martino;Fabio Magnotti;Lodovico Santoro
2018
Abstract
Purpose of the study The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of some drivers - both internal (n° employees, revenue, competences, investment in R&D) and external (collaboration, information sources, public funding) - on the development of innovation activities in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Methodology Based on a theoretical framework derived from the literature, it has been conducted an empirical analysis involving 122 agri-food SMEs of the Campania Region that belong to the grain-pasta, olive-oil, dairy and wine supply chains. The data has been elaborated through the cluster analysis technique in order to explore any meaningful patterns that may exist in terms of the innovation capacity. Results Three clusters with different innovation modes have been identified: Innovative and collaborative (IC); Innovative and non-collaborative (INC); Non-innovative (NI). The analysis reveals that the main discriminating factors of the innovative capacity are the collaboration with different local stakeholders the access to information sources and the ability to obtain public funding for innovation. Research limits A longitudinal analysis of some best practices of innovative SMEs could offer a better understanding of the relationships between some drivers and the results of the innovation. Other limits is the lack of the analysis of characteristics of the entrepreneur as the main dynamic actors of the business ri-organizational process. Practical implications The dissemination of "best practices" can promote the adoption of collaborative practices by SMEs of the others two clusters INC and NI, given the fact that these usually innovate by imitation. Originality of the study This is the first quantitative study focusing on the innovation capacity of agri-food SMEs in the Campania Region. The study specifically highlights the existence of some innovative SMEs that generally are overlooked by national and European statistical surveys.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
