BOOSTING INNOVATION THROUGH INTERFIRM-COOPERATION

Abstract

Innovation is very often characterized as a resource-intensive activity connected with a relatively high level of risk and uncertainty. Therefore small and medium-sized enterprises are more vulnerable in this respect than large companies. Cooperation is one of the ways of tackling this disadvantage. The objective of the paper is to reveal the attitudes of SMEs in the South Moravian Region towards interfirm-cooperation in the form of strategic partnerships and find out the attributes of such cooperation in the field of innovation. To achieve this goal the authors have evaluated and interpreted the results of research conducted in 2010–2011. To gain data quantitative methodology was applied in the form of a questionnaire survey. This data was completed with primary qualitative data from personal interviews and secondary data from previous research.

The paper is organized in the following way: first of all, the importance of innovation is highlighted and the means of its creation through cooperation are introduced. Then the research methodology is described in more detail followed by the presentation of research results. Finally, there is a discussion of the main results and the conclusions arrived at.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.17.4.3030