Micro-econometric analyses cover a wide range of new innovation 'input' and 'output' indicators. Among the robust findings about determinants of innovation is evidence on the importance of technological opportunity, of appropriability of innovation benefits, and of Schmooklerian demand-pull effects. As opposed to the evidence from standard R&D data, small firms appear more innovative and the impact of market power on innovation is, in the best case, modest.

A rich overview of current research on determinants of innovative behaviour. It is a unique work as it illuminates these from different perspectives such as, economics, management and psychology. Using several methods of analysis, it shows what specific determinants are predominant in explaining firm performance on innovation.

What is innovation and how should it be measured? Understanding the scale of innovation activities, the characteristics of innovative firms and the internal and systemic factors that can influence innovation is a prerequisite for the pursuit and analysis of policies aimed at fostering innovation.

The emergence of new firm-level data, including the European Community Innovation Survey (CIS), has led to a surge of studies on innovation and firm behaviour. This book documents progress in four interrelated fields: · investigation of the use of new indicators of innovation output · investigation of determinants of innovative behaviour · the role of spillovers, the public knowledge infrastructure and research and development collaboration · The impact of innovation on firm performance Written by an international group of contributors, the studies are based on agriculture and the manufacturing and service industries in Europe and Canada and provide new insights into the driving forces behind innovation.