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.

This book is based on a study of 84 technological innovations that won Queen's Awards in 1966 and 1967. Nearly 40 of these are presented as well-documented but readable case histories. The topics range from new antibiotics to fast patrol boats, from an improved way of making bread to aircraft equipment, from new building materials and techniques to scientific instruments, from automatic gearboxes to guided missiles. Many points of interest are covered in the discussion. Is innovation more often 'pushed' by scientific or technological discoveries or more often 'pulled' by the needs of the market or of management? Is is true that outstanding individuals are necessary for success? Is it true that the time-lag between discovery and exploitations is shortening? Can one specify optimum sizes for research teams? What is the role of basic reseach? These are some of the issues raised in the course of a wide-ranging discussion of factors affecting technological 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.