Abstract
This study provides insights in knowledge spillovers in terms of the use of different sources of knowledge at the origin of innovation, collaboration in innovation, and the reliance on a closed or more open innovation strategy by firms in the Brussels agglomeration. The focus is on innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) in Brussels. These firms are compared with their counterparts in the other large city agglomerations in Belgium.Based on data from two waves of the Community Innovation Survey (2008-2010 and 2010-2012) it is revealed that universities and public research organisations (PROs) play a rather limited role as providers of ideas at the origin of innovation in these firms in Brussels, and are significantly less solicited for industry-science collaboration.These findings contrast the more open innovation development strategy of SMEs in KIBS in the capital city agglomeration and the abundant presence of knowledge at universities and PROs, and hence raise the question of an industry-science mismatch.
Highlights
SMEs in Brussels are significantly larger, more active on the national market, have a higher share of turnover related to innovations that are new to the firm, and are more engaged in process innovation and less in combined product and process innovation
19 Whatever the reason or combined reasons is or are, this study highlights specificities for knowledge sourcing, strategies for developing ideas into innovation, and collaboration profiles between innovative SMEs in knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) in Brussels compared to the other large city agglomerations in Belgium
These particularities should be taken into account in the Regional Innovation Plan for Brussels
Summary
10 Based on data from two waves of the Community Innovation Survey (stratified sampling – size, sector, region – for the periods 2008-2010 and 2010-2012), the official instrument to collect innovation data in Belgium, we obtained a representative sample of SMEs (defined as firms with 10 or more and less than 250 employees) engaged in product and/or process innovation in KIBS in Brussels. A process innovation refers to the implementation of a new or significantly improved production process, distribution method, or supporting activity. SMEs in Brussels are significantly larger, more active on the national market, have a higher share of turnover related to innovations that are new to the firm, and are more engaged in process innovation and less in combined product and process innovation. T-tests are here used to identify differences between SMEs in the Brussels city agglomeration and in the other large city agglomerations (*,**,***: 10 %, 5 %, 1 % significance level).
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