Innovation in food firms: contribution of regional networks within the international business context

Autor: Xavier Gellynck, Bert Vermeire, Jacques Viaene
Rok vydání: 2007
Předmět:
Zdroj: Entrepreneurship & Regional Development. 19:209-226
ISSN: 1464-5114
0898-5626
Popis: This paper explores the role of regional networks in processes of innovation within an international business context. It is hypothesized that firms participating in regional networks demonstrate a stronger innovation competence. Data are drawn from a survey among food firms in the region of Meetjesland, Belgium, and reflect the relation between the firm and a number of regional characteristics. After restructuring the data through factor analysis and cluster analysis, the important role of regional networking is revealed using discriminant analysis. The analysis marks out two factors having the strongest power to discriminate between the clusters: firms are classified as having a stronger innovation competence when networking within the region, and when orienting towards the international market. Results demonstrate that internationally operating firms benefit from regional networking. Further, it is argued that regional networking is not contradictory to an international market orientation, and that fir...
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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