International collaboration and innovation in professional and technological knowledge-intensive services

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the impact of international collaboration on innovation in technological and professional knowledge-intensive business services. We propose that the benefits of international collaboration differ depending on the activity sector and the location of the foreign partner. Specifically, we argue that the nature of knowledge and innovation processes in professional and technological knowledge-intensive business services may explain different effects of international collaboration on innovation performance. Our empirical analysis is based on a large sample of knowledge-intensive business services for the period 2004–2007. We specify two bivariate probit models to test our hypotheses. The results confirm the hypotheses and show that proximity to international partners is more important for professional knowledge-intensive services, while diversity in international collaboration is more important for technological knowledge-intensive services.

Keywords:

• International collaboration
• service innovation
• professional knowledge-intensive business services
• technical knowledge-intensive business services

JEL Codes:

• O32
• L84
• L86
• L14
• L2

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to the editors and the anonymous referees for their help and support.

Notes

¹ Correlations of the independent and control variables, as well as VIF tests are available upon request.