Diffusion of innovation concepts in Portuguese manufacturing companies

Abstract

This paper focuses on the diffusion of innovation concepts in Portuguese manufacturing companies. Based on the literature, the concepts of technical and non-technical innovations are explored and three purposes guide our study: (i) to what extent technological and organizational innovation concepts are diffused in Portuguese manufacturing companies; (ii) how the use of technological innovation concepts are interrelated with the use of organizational innovation concepts; and (iii) to what extent Portuguese companies since 2009 have introduced product innovation and product-related service innovation. Data were collected from 62 companies participating in the European Manufacturing Survey (EMS) 2012 and findings indicate that: (i) Portuguese manufacturing companies are more organizationally innovation oriented where quality and price are quoted as the most important competitive factors, whilst service offerings and service sales attain far less rank; (ii) technological innovation concepts are significantly related to organizational innovation; and (iii) product innovation has a higher diffusion level than product-related services.

Keywords::

• European Manufacturing Survey (EMS)
• non-technical innovation
• organizational innovation
• Portuguese manufacturing companies
• technical innovation

JEL Classification::

• L-Industrial Organization
• O-Economic Development
• M-Business Administration

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Unidade de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Engenharia Mecânica e Industrial for its support [PEst-OE/EME/UI0667/2011].