Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Study of Businesses in New South Wales, Australia

Jane Olsen, Boon-Chye Lee () and Ann Hodgkinson ()
Additional contact information
Jane Olsen: University of Wollongong
Boon-Chye Lee: University of Wollongong, http://business.uow.edu.au/econ/who/index.html
Ann Hodgkinson: University of Wollongong, http://business.uow.edu.au/econ/who/index.html

Economics Working Papers from School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia

Abstract: This paper examines the process of innovation within SMEs, focusing on a sample of firms in New South Wales, Australia. The trend of the last several decades towards increased integration of global markets, or globalization, has meant that many firms are experiencing continuously increasing pressure to remain viable as their markets expand, and they begin competing with a larger number of firms. SMEs, in particular, are vulnerable to this pressure, since they tend to be disadvantaged relative to larger firms that generally have better access to funding and other resources. The ways in which SMEs operate to remain economically viable, and contribute to economic performance, is of especial interest to governments given the prominent roles that they play in most economies. One way of doing so is through innovation. In this paper, we present a more complex model of the innovation process than the traditional linear model involving R&D investment, what we term the "Ripple Effect Model", building upon recent developments in the literature. The Ripple-Effect Model appears to be substantially supported.

Keywords: small and medium enterprises; innovation; New South Wales; Australia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 44 pages
Date: 2006
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-bec, nep-ent, nep-ino and nep-tid
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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