Abstract

MINGUELA-RATA, Beatriz; FERNANDEZ-MENENDEZ, José; FOSSAS-OLALLA, Marta  and  LOPEZ-SANCHEZ, José Ignacio. Technological collaboration with suppliers in product innovation: analysis of the spanish manufacturing industry. Innovar [online]. 2014, vol.24, n.spe, pp.55-65. ISSN 0121-5051.  https://doi.org/10.15446/innovar.v24n1spe.47546.

The design and development of new products has become a crucial activity for maintaining competitiveness in the market. In order to carry out these innovation activities companies need to assess whether they have the necessary resources and capabilities. This article analyzes technological collaboration with suppliers as a means of carrying out product innovation, focusing on radical and incremental innovations. Based on a sample of businesses drawn from the spanish manufacturing industry the results indicate that companies that collaborate with their suppliers in technological innovation are more likely to innovate in their products and in particular to innovate radically. In terms of firm size, medium and large enterprises are more likely to innovate but it is medium enterprises that most frequently engage in radical innovation.

Keywords : suppliers; technological innovation; technological collaboration; product innovation; radical innovation; incremental innovation.

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