Understanding the innovative behaviour of firms: The persistence decision

Resumen

The study of the dynamic patterns of behaviour has recently attracted the attention ofscholars studying the investments in R&D of firms and the establishment of collaborativeagreements. Surprisingly, although extant research has acknowledged that investments inR&D could potentiate the establishment of collaborative agreements, the literature has noanalysed the impact on innovation performance that persistence in these two activities have,both individually and jointly. In this paper, we analyse the effect that persistence in R&D andpersistence in collaboration have on innovation performance, and the moderating effect thatpersistence in R&D has on the relationship between persistence in collaboration and innovationperformance. We argue that both activities have a positive impact on innovation performanceand that persistence in R&D potentiates the relationship between persistence in collaborationand innovation performance. To test empirically these hypotheses, we will use a large panel ofSpanish innovating firms for the period 2005-2013.