Externalization patterns in the Flow Measurement Industry

This chapter discusses the main findings of interviews with firms in the flow measurement industry in the UK, France and Belgium. It takes a thematic approach comparing innovation strategies, patterns of linkages with universities and national laboratories. The objective is to identify the major factors influencing the extent and form of the sample’s links with the pSSB. The chapter is in five sections. In the first, the sample is introduced. In the second, the firms’ innovation strategies are identified. The third section examines the extent of externalization, networking and collaboration. In the fourth, the problems and benefits associated with interaction with the pSSB are discussed. The final section summarises the main findings.