Sme´s partners in innovation cooperation: an empirical analysis of Slovak sme´s

Abstract

Innovation cooperation has become an increasingly prominent feature of firm´s innovation activity. Cooperation with external subjects in innovation enables to the firm to search outside of their boundaries the skills, competence or technologies that they are missing and that would take too long (and too much costs) to be developed internally. The external resources and capabilities that SMEs could access through external innovation linkages might provide them with the stimulus and capacity to innovate. The aim of the article is to examine the cooperation of Slovak SMEs with external partners in innovation in special division of mechanical engineering industry. We will answer two questions. First: to identify who are the major cooperation partners for SME´s innovations in analysed division of mechanical engineering industry; second: to assess the respective type of innovation relationships with individual cooperation partners in analysed sector of SME´s. We stated 14 potential external subjects for cooperation in innovations and with the Friedman test we assessed the importance (significance) of SME´s cooperation with external subjects in innovation activities as well as the respective type of innovation relationships with individual cooperative partners. Suggested are positive effects of cooperation with external partners in innovation, indicated are main reasons of low cooperation. Based on the research results are formulated the implications for SMEs managers and policy makers concerned with the management of innovation cooperation