Abstract
In an innovation survey in the Netherlands, we find considerably more SMEs which perform small scale R&D than are found in the official R&D surveys. Nonetheless, SMEs appear on average to be somewhat less R&D intensive than large firms. Only when we restrict our observations to firms which perform some R&D, there is no systematic relationship between size and R&D. Among the barriers to innovation the following are particularly important to SMEs: information deficits with respect to instruments of innovation policy; a lack of capital; a lack of management qualifications; problems in finding adequate technical information, and problems in finding qualified employees.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AcsZ. J. and D. B.Audretsch, 1987, ‘Innovation, Market Structure, and Firm Size’, The Review of Economics and Statistics LXIX, 567–574.
AcsZ. J. and D. B.Audretsch, 1988, ‘Innovation and Large and Small Firms: An Empirical Analysis’, American Economic Review 78, 678–690.
Dijk, J. W. A. van, 1987, Innovation Policy in the Netherlands (in Dutch), PHD-thesis, Amsterdam: VU-Uitgeverij.
DijkJ. W. A.van and A.Kleinknecht, 1984, ‘Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Dutch Innovation Policy’ (in Dutch), Economisch Statistische Berichten 69, 894–899.
FreemanC., 1982, The Economics of Industrial Innovation, London: Pinter.
KamienM. I. and N. L.Schwartz, 1982, Market Structure and Innovation, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
KleinknechtA. (under the assistance of H. Bieshaar, A. Keet, J. den Ronden and B. Verspagen), 1987, Industrial Innovation in the Netherlands: A Mailing Survey (in Dutch), Assen: Van Gorcum.
KleinknechtA., 1987a, ‘Measuring R&D in Small Firms: How Much Are We Missing?’, Journal of Industrial Economics 34, 253–256.
KleinknechtA., 1987b, ‘Subsidies on R&D. Comment on Wemelsfelder’ (in Dutch), Economisch Statistische Berichten 72, 999–1000.
KleinknechtA. and A.Mouwen, 1985, ‘Regional Shifts in R&D Performance’ (in Dutch), in W. T. M.Molle (ed.), Innovatie en Regio, s-Gravenhage: Staatsuitgeverij.
Kleinknecht A. and B. Verspagen, 1988, ‘Dutch Foreign Trade and the Neo-Technology Hypothesis’, manuscript.
KleinknechtA. and B.Verspagen, 1989, ‘Demand and Innovation. Schmookler Re-Examined’, forthcoming in Research Policy, Vol. 18, 1989.
PavittK., M.Robson, and J.Townsend, 1987, ‘The Size Distribution of Innovating Firms in the UK: 1945–1983’, The Journal of Industrial Economics XXXV, 297–314.
SiegelS., 1956, Nonparametric Statistics for the Social Sciences, New York, Toronto, London: McGraw-Hill.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kleinknecht, A. Firm size and innovation. Small Bus Econ 1, 215–222 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401858
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401858