Measuring the persistence in innovation in Spanish manufacturing firms: empirical evidence using discrete-time duration models

Abstract

This paper measures the level of persistence in innovation using a large representative sample of Spanish manufacturing firms for the period 1990–2008. We determine survival in innovation activities using discrete-time duration models, which control for some of the existing problems in the continuous-time duration models used in previous studies (namely, unobserved heterogeneity and the proportional hazards assumption). This paper examines the relationship between the firm-specific characteristics of technological regimes and the persistence measured by innovative spells at the firm level. The results show that high technological opportunities, patents, cumulativeness of learning based on previous experience and accumulated R&D, as well as the use of generic knowledge provided by universities enhance persistence in innovative activity.