Geographical Sources of Firm Innovation: Maritime Suppliers in Møre & Romsdal

Abstract

Recent literature discusses the geographical sources of firm innovation. However, there are disagreements regarding the relevance of international linkages and knowledge flows over local interactions in clusters. New research indicates firm innovation is both the result of Science, Technology, Innovation (STI) and Doing, Using, Interacting (DUI) of firm learning. Fitjar & Rodríguez-Pose (2013) contribute to this debate by classify different types of firm interaction into STI-mode interaction (with consultants, universities, and research centres) and DUI-mode interaction, distinguishing between DUI interactions within the supply chain (i.e. with suppliers, customers) or not (with competitors). This thesis adopts the methodology of the authors to analyze the sources of innovation of the maritime suppliers in the Møre and Romsdal cluster. This population is chosen as the suppliers are known as highly knowledge and innovation driven. By means of logit regression analyses, the findings indicate that both DUI and STI-modes with regional partners have an insignificant effect for innovation, while regional firm interaction outside the supply chain may be associated with lower level of innovation. However, collaboration with international linkages within the DUI-mode supply chain matter for innovation. These findings are discussed in terms of the geographical importance of local and non-local knowledge flow for the maritime suppliers in Møre and Romsdal.