1 Introduction
2 Firms’ learning process for growth and renewal
Exploration | Exploitation |
---|---|
Search | Refinement |
Variation | Choice |
Experimentation | Production |
Play | Efficiency |
Flexibility | Selection |
Discovery | Implementation |
Innovation | Execution |
3 The regional innovation system, SMEs’ innovation capabilities and sources of knowledge
3.1 SME’s innovation capabilities (IC)
3.2 Source of knowledge (SI)
3.3 Commercialization sources (CS)
4 The regional innovation system in the Netherlands
4.1 Dutch innovation platform (innovative platform)
4.2 The Dutch SME sector
5 Research framework
5.1 Innovation capabilities
5.2 Sources of innovation
5.3 Innovation performance
5.4 Commercialization sources
6 Research methodology
6.1 Introduction
6.1.1 Sources of innovation
6.1.2 Innovation capabilities
6.1.3 Innovation performance
6.1.4 Commercialization sources
6.2 Sample
7 Data analysis
7.1 Construct validation
Construct and items | Standardized loading | Error term |
---|---|---|
Sources of innovation (SI) | ||
University contact | 0.33 | 0.22 |
International network | 0.54 | |
Innovation capabilities (IC) | ||
New products or services | 0.63 | |
New production or service processes | 0.49 | 0.27 |
Innovation performance (IP) | ||
Sales performance | 0.75 | |
Location | 0.11 | 0.04 |
Commercialization process (CP) | ||
Competitors | 0.38 | |
National network | 0.23 | 0.40 |
7.2 Model validation
7.3 Sub-hypothesis testing
Hypothesis testing |
\(r\)
| Result |
---|---|---|
H1a: University contact has a positive relationship with the development of new products or services | 0.126 | Accepted |
H1b: University contact has a positive relationship with the development of new production or service processes | 0.095 | Accepted |
H1c: Contact with an international network has a positive relationship with the development of new products or services | 0.194 | Accepted |
H1d: Contact with an international network has a positive relationship with the development of new production or service processes | 0.140 | Accepted |
H2a: Development of new products or services has a positive relationship with sales performance | 0.202 | Accepted |
H2b: Development of new products or services has a positive relationship with location | n.s. | Rejected |
H2c: Development of new production or service processes has a positive relationship with sales performance | 0.177 | Accepted |
H2d: Development of new production or service processes has a positive relationship with location | n.s. | Rejected |
H3a: Contact with competitors has a positive relationship with sales performance | 0.145 | Accepted |
H3b: Contact with competitors has a positive relationship with location | n.s. | Rejected |
H3c: Contact with a national network has a positive relationship with sales performance | n.s. | Rejected |
H3d: Contact with a national network has positive relationship with location | n.s. | Rejected |
8 Results and discussion
Mean | SD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New products or services | 2.8012 | 0.46102 | 1 | |||||
New production or service processes | 2.5409 | 0.59550 | 0.307** | 1 | ||||
Sales performance | 4.9942 | 1.97342 | 0.202** | 0.177** | 1 | |||
Competitors | 1.3480 | 0.47702 | 0.075 | 0.037 | 0.145** | 1 | ||
University | 1.2778 | 0.44856 | 0.126* | 0.095 | 0.131* |
\(-\)0.014 | 1 | |
International network | 1.2924 | 0.45553 | 0.194** | 0.140** | 0.139* |
\(-\)0.024 | 0.175** | 1 |