Industry characteristics influencing the technical output: A case of small and medium size firms in the US

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1991

Abstract

Using the small and medium size firms in the US as a sample, this paper reports on interrelationship among patents, publications and new products. Correlates of R&D expenditure, patents and papers and new products are presented. Relationships between firm size and R&D output and productivity are also investigated. Since the study is based on correlational analysis, causal inferences are not drawn. The data indicates that the three indicators are related, but their strength of relationship varies with industries. Growth of sales is related with new products, but not with patents or papers. Although the data point to the fact that small firms are more productive than their larger counterparts, there are many reasons to come to such a sweeping generalisation. Reporting of R&D data is not reliable for small firms as the very definition of R&D differs from firm to firm. Nature of R&D also changes as the firm grows in size; opportunities for patents or new products also change accordingly. These make it difficult to accurately measure and compare the R&D efficiency across firms of different sizes. Copyright © 1991, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved

Identifier

84982693935 (Scopus)

Publication Title

R D Management

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9310.1991.tb00743.x

e-ISSN

14679310

ISSN

00336807

First Page

139

Last Page

152

Issue

2

Volume

21

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