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Lukas Lengauer, Eva Nussmüller, Franz Tödtling, Michaela Trippl

Innovation and Knowledge Sourcing in the Vienna ICT Manufacturing Sector 7 th EURS Conference, Istanbul, September 2008. Lukas Lengauer, Eva Nussmüller, Franz Tödtling, Michaela Trippl. Characteristics of the ICT sector.

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Lukas Lengauer, Eva Nussmüller, Franz Tödtling, Michaela Trippl

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  1. Innovation and Knowledge Sourcing in the Vienna ICT Manufacturing Sector7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, September 2008 Lukas Lengauer, Eva Nussmüller, Franz Tödtling, Michaela Trippl

  2. Characteristics of the ICT sector ICT is a key sector of the knowledge economy (Koski 2002, OECD 2002) characterised by rapid technological change and innovation ICT is a generic technology affecting a broad variety of sectors ICT sector has a high importance in RIS ICT sector is very heterogeneous (computer hardware and peripherals, telecom, software and data services, …) -> different subsectors, both global firms and SMEs From vertical integration to network organisationTendency towards spatial clustering 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  3. Knowledge Bases 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  4. Knowledge sources and their geography: contradictory evidence • Close relations between software firms and their customers(Bettencourt et al. 2002; Hertog 2002; Ibert 2004; Isaksen 2004, 2006) • Close relations to customers and competitors do not strengthen the innovative performance of firms(Weterings und Boschma 2006) • Local universities, research organizations and suppliers represent important external knowledge sources(Romijn und Albaladejo 2002) • Strong local linkages between spin-offs and „mother organizations“ may also be negative  „Over-embeddedness“(Weterings & Boschma 2006) • Ambiguity concerning the mechanisms of knowledge exchange(Segelod und Jordan 2004; Tsang 2005) 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  5. Types of linkages to external knowledge sources and partners 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  6. Regional Innovation System Vienna Organisationally „thick“ but fragmented metropolitan RIS: • Centre of knowledge generating organisations: • 134.000 students • 9 universities and technical colleges with 61 degree programmes competence centres • Broad diversity of sectors but also high concentration of ICT plants and firms • High R&D expenditures, high R&D quota • Fragmented nature of RIS: mainly informal networking within cluster, lack of global pipelines 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  7. Research Questions What is the nature of innovation activities in the Vienna ICT manufacturing sector? Which knowledge sources play a key role in the innovation process and what is their geography? What are the main differences between market knowledge and technological knowledge with respect to knowledge sources? What is the relevance of different knowledge transfer mechanisms at different spatial scales? 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  8. Methodology • Face to face interviews • Conducted April and May 2008 • Standardized questionnaire • Sector: ICT manufacturing • 18 firms = 51% of the population • Analysing 207 knowledge links, and • 264 knowledge transfer channels 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  9. Sectoral Composition of the investigated firms 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  10. The sample: Main characteristics • Employees: Relatively low average: Median = 22,5 Time dimension: declining median number of employed • Sources for recruitment: Technical colleges (72%) and firms of the same sector (61%) • Activities undertaken: High share of customized production (83%) and development activities (88%) • Innovation activities: Very high scores in product (100%) and process (88%) innovations • Turnover with new products: High share with new products (41%) • Patents: Within the last 3 years: 2/3 of the companies have been granted a patent, however, 1,5 patents/firm on the average • R&D employees: 44 % have a research department, on the average 7,5 R&D employees 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  11. Innovation Activities

  12. Knowledge Sources 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  13. Importance of Contacts Folie 13 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  14. Geography of technological knowledge links I 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  15. Geography of technological knowledge links II 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  16. Geography of market knowledge links I 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  17. Geography of market knowledge links II 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  18. Technological Knowledge:Geography of Knowledge Transfer Channels I 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  19. Technological Knowledge:Knowledge Sources and Transfer Channels 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  20. Types of linkages to external knowledge sources and partners 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  21. Different channels for different contacts • Significant pattern for knowledge transfer channels: • Market relations: especially important for contacts within the value chain • Spillovers: occur mainly with customers • Formal networks: are created mainly with universities • Informal networks: occur mainly with customers and universities 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  22. Geography of Knowledge Transfer Channels • Significant pattern for knowledge transfer channels: • Market relations and formal networks -> with local partners • Spillovers -> occur with international partners • Informal networks -> occurring with international partners 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  23. Conclusions • Innovation as a key competitive strategy for Vienna ICT manufacturing firms • High inclination towards radical innovation hints at the existence of an analytical knowledge base • As already shown for the biotech sector (Tödtling and Trippl 2007) the case of the ICT manufacturing sector also suggests, that even a fragmented RIS can develop dynamic knowledge based industries and networks • External knowledge: • Market knowledge is gained through interaction with customers and firms from other sectors • Technological knowledge is gained through interaction with universities and customers 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

  24. Conclusions Geography of knowledge links Technological knowledge: highest number of contacts at local level Market knowledge: highest number of contacts at international level Mode of knowledge exchange (technological knowledge) R&D cooperation and informal contacts are the most frequently named knowledge transfer channels This hints at dynamic knowledge exchange and interactive learning Geography: no support for the “local buzz and global pipelines” concept, but a complex pattern of exchange mechanisms including informal contacts at the global level 7th EURS Conference, Istanbul, Sept. 2008

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