NABET, NABET 2015 Faculty Conference

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Patterns of Innovation in Norwegian Firms: A Comparison of Small and Large Businesses
Sherry Kay Robinson, Hans Anton Stubberud

Last modified: 2015-09-29

Abstract


Innovation is a key element in business growth and success. Business growth and employment are especially important in Norway, where the drop in global oil prices is said to have provoked increased unemployment and economic decline. Cooperative relationships between different parties are often essential to product development in that innovation is a social process. This study examines data from Eurostat's 2012 Community Innovation Survey to determine the types of innovations introduced by small and large businesses in Norway and the cooperative partnerships in which they engage. The results show that small businesses (10-49 employees) far outnumber large businesses (250 or more employees), but a lower proportion of them are involved in innovative activities. Small businesses are also less likely to partner with other companies to develop new goods and services. This suggests that increased cooperation with others in the supply chain could be an avenue for enhanced innovation and business growth among small businesses.


Keywords


innovation, entrepreneurship, small business, Norway