R&amp;D Cooperation and Knowledge Spillover Effects for Sustainable Business Innovation in the Chemical Industry

Jan Stejskal,Petr Hájek

doi:10.3390/su10041064

Abstract

This paper investigates the influence of research and development (R&D) cooperation on the creation of spillover effects for sustainable firms in the chemical industry. We explore the evidence for the origin of knowledge spillovers derived from cooperation amongst firms and universities and R&D organizations as well as to test the influence of internal/external financial support on these effects. The results confirm that when firms acquire knowledge from internal sources, this leads to increased innovation and sustainable performance. We have proved that internal expenditure results in increased internal knowledge spillovers. These findings may be specific for Central and Eastern (CEE) transition countries, indicating their efforts to build path-dependent structures based on knowledge institutions and businesses as well as knowledge networks. However, this study also provides a more “global” contribution to the knowledge spillover effect theory. It shows that a firm’s cooperation both with universities and with other firms promotes different types of knowledge spillovers and can affect diverse modes of sustainable activities in innovation.

Highlights

Knowledge-based theories indicate that it is possible for a firm to attain economic growth through innovation development while integrating local knowledge, the intensity of knowledge transfer processes among other local firms [1], and the variety of knowledge within the firm [2]
The positive effect of knowledge spillovers on the decision to cooperate stems from the belief that the emergence of cooperation in research and development (R&D) requires both intensive contacts and a high level of trust arising from preceding informal knowledge spillovers [8]
Let X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, and X7 be causal predictors of Y1, Y2, and Y3

Summary

Introduction

Knowledge-based theories indicate that it is possible for a firm to attain economic growth through innovation development while integrating local knowledge, the intensity (and frequency) of knowledge transfer processes among other local firms [1], and the variety of knowledge within the firm [2]. Knowledge spillovers from universities to firms are considered critical mechanisms as to how knowledge generated by one economic unit is exploited by another [4] This process is not limited to university–firm relationships but involves a range of firm activities with other economic units, such as firms, customers, research institutes, etc. Sustainable innovations are usually radical rather than incremental They often depend on collaborative efforts that go beyond traditional business alliances and supply chains [15]. The need for these collaborative efforts can be explained by the theories of institutional, stakeholder, and ecological modernization [15]

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Discussion

Conclusion