What Drives Innovation?: Inferences from an Industry-Wide Survey in Nigeria

Abiodun Egbetokun, W Siyanbola, M Sanni, O Olamade, A Adeniyi and I Irefin

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This chapter seeks to make some contributions to the literature on firm-level innovation in Africa by attempting to identify the significant factors that explain the capability of firms in Nigeria to innovate using the results of an industry-wide study. We focused on the product and process innovation activities of firms between 2003 and 2006 and found differences in the factors that drive them at the firm level. Our results further show that interactions matter more than most innovation-related variables and that the most important actors that influence a firm’s innovation efforts are its customers and suppliers. We conclude that product and process innovations are not mutually exclusive and that a major key to successful innovation is how and with whom a firm collaborates. The implication of this for firms and policy makers is that an effectively wired innovation system where all stakeholders are active is critical for firm-level innovation capability.

Keywords: innovation; drivers; manufacturing industry; Nigeria; determinants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L00 L60 O32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008, Revised 2008
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published in Int. J. Technology Management 1-2.45(2009): pp. 123-140

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