Strategic Innovation in Small Firms is an investigation of the commercialization practices of small firms across a wide range of industries in nine OECD countries. The authors examine the perspective of these firms' managers on their national innovation systems and on their firm's innovation management practices. The research is focused on understanding the process of innovation management both from the perspective of the small firm and from a broader strategic perspective. Drawing on a database of 567 cases, the contributors examine the commercialization practices of small to medium sized firms across a wide range of industries. They suggest that there are more similarities than differences to be found between countries and industries with size, level of R&D intensity and type of innovation project being important points of difference. The need for increased formality in the commercialization of radical innovations is shown, although they find that most small firms are not characterized by such formality within their innovation management processes. This multinational study in which a common methodology and case study survey protocol is employed, will strongly appeal to academic researchers and research students as well as policymakers engaged in the support for innovation commercialization in SMEs. Entrepreneurs and small business owners will also find plenty of invaluable information in this unique and important resource
Contents: Preface 1. Strategic Innovation in Small Firms: An Introduction Tim Mazzarol and Sophie Reboud 2. National Innovation Systems Tim Mazzarol, Sophie Reboud and Jean-Guillaume Ditter 3. An Overview of the Survey Findings Tim Mazzarol and Geoffrey Soutar 4. The Flemish Creative Sector Ysabel Nauwelaerts, Frederik Van Assche and Ilke Van Beveren 5. Innovation Processes in SMEs: The New Zealand Experience Delwyn Clark 6. Designed in Italy - An Unrecognised Italian Innovation Model? Jane Klobas and Paola Bielli 7. The Context and Logic of Innovation at Two Small Enterprises: A Qualitative Analysis Hermann Frank, Manfred Lueger and Christian Korunka 8. SME Innovations: USA Assessment and Climate Results Newell (Sandy) Gough and Philip Olson 9. The Situation in Canada: Analysis of Canadian SME Innovation Behaviour Jacques Baronet and Johanne Queenton 10. The Situation in Switzerland Thierry Volery 11. The Situation in Australian Manufacturing Tim Mazzarol and Vijaya Thyil 12. High and Low R&D Intensity Firms in France Sophie Reboud and Tim Mazzarol 13. The Business of Biotech in Australia Genevieve Tattersall, Katherine Giles, Parbodh Gogna, Colin Tung, Shane Ridley and Tim Mazzarol 14. Conclusions and Lessons Learnt Tim Mazzarol, Delwyn Clark and Sophie Reboud Index