Firm’s innovation culture and external collaboration:Mapping the state of research

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the article is to systematically review the existing research on the linkages between the firm’s innovation culture and external collaboration.

Research Design & Methods: This study employed a systematic literature review approach. For the review, we adapted the systematic review protocol advanced by Tranfield et al. (2003) and Snyder (2019). The review covers articles published between 2000 and 2022 and indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases.

Findings: The results show that the research in the area is still relatively limited but the interest in the field is growing. The review indicates that the research that has been done so far is not homogeneous and addresses various aspects of the relationships between the firm’s innovation culture and collaboration with research organisations, customers, competitors, suppliers, clusters, retailers, distributors, and government institutions.

Implications & Recommendations: Although researchers have shed light on the topic, there is a need for an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the firm’s innovation culture and external cooperation. The article provides implications for scholars by offering, among others, insights into future research directions including more research on large firms to compare whether the obtained results also apply to the size of firms and more longitudinal studies to increase the number of repeated observations in the field. Moreover, the study suggests the need for practitioners and policymakers to promote the strengthening of the firm’s innovation culture and to reduce the potential mismatch of expectations between the innovation culture of the firm and collaboration with external partners.

Contribution & Value Added: The article extends the current knowledge on the drivers of firms’ innovation activities by providing further findings on the connections between firms’ innovation performance and knowledge diffusion. The study contributes to the field by providing a systematic review that specifically gives attention to the relationship between the firm’s innovation culture and external collaboration.

Keywords

firm's innovation culture, external collaboration, firms' innovation activities, systematic literature review, descriptive analysis, thematic analysis

References

1. Abdul Halim, H., Ahmad, N.H., Geare, A., & Thurasamy, R. (2019a). Innovation culture in SMEs: the im-portance of organizational culture, organizational learning and market orientation. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 9(3), 20170014. https://doi.org/10.1515/erj-2017-0014
2. Abdul Halim, H., Ahmad, N.H., & Ramayah, T. (2019b). Sustaining the innovation culture in SMEs: the im-portance of organisational culture, organisational learning and market orientation. Asian Journal of Business Research, 9(2), 14-33. https://doi.org/10.14707/ajbr.190059
3. Arsawan, I.W., Koval, V., Rajiani, I., Rustiarini, N.W., Supartha, W.G., & Suryantini, N.P.S. (2022). Leveraging knowledge sharing and innovation culture into SMEs sustainable competitive advantage. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 71(2), 405-428. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPPM-04-2020-0192
4. Audretsch, D.B., & Belitski, M. (2024). Knowledge collaboration, firm productivity and innovation: A critical assessment. Journal of Business Research, 172, 114412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114412
5. Audretsch, D.B., & Belitski, M. (2020). The role of R&D and knowledge spillovers in innovation and produc-tivity. European Economic Review, 123, 103391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2020.103391
6. Bader, K., Vanbrabant, L., & Enkel, E. (2014, June). Drivers of firm openness: innovation culture and strategic direction as stimulating factors. Proceedings of the EURAM 2014 (European Academy of Management) Conference, Valencia. ISBN: 978-84-697-0377-9
7. Bashir, N., & Malik, K. (2021). Developing firm capabilities to utilise social media for the fuzzy front end of innovation. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 35(6), 721-736. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537325.2021.1980530
8. Batz, A., Kunath, M., & Winkler, H. (2018). Discrepancies between cluster services and SMEs’ needs con-straining the creation of a culture of innovation amidst industry 4.0. LogForum, 14(3), 387-405. https://doi.org/10.17270/J.LOG.2018.286
9. Becker, W., & Dietz, J. (2004). R&D cooperation and innovation activities of firms—evidence for the German manufacturing industry. Research Policy, 33(2), 209-223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2003.07.003
10. Bourdeau, S., Aubert, B., & Bareil, C. (2021). The effects of IT use intensity and innovation culture on organi-zational performance: the mediating role of innovation intensity. Management Research Review, 44(2), 359-380. https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-02-2020-0068
11. Brettel, M., & Cleven, N. (2011). Innovation culture, collaboration with external partners and NPD perfor-mance. Creativity and Innovation Management, 20(4), 253-272, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8691.2011.00617.x
12. Cameron, K.S., & Quinn, R.E. (1999). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture. Based on the compet-ing values framework. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison Wesley.
13. Castaneda, D.C., & Cuellar, S. (2020). Knowledge sharing and innovation: A systematic review. Knowledge and Process Management, 27(3), 159-173. https://doi.org/10.1002/kpm.1637
14. Cooper, S.C., Pereira, V., Vrontis, D., & Yipeng, L. (2023). Extending the resource and knowledge based view: Insights from new contexts of analysis. Journal of Business Research, 156, 113523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113523
15. Cordero P.L., & Ferreira, J.J. (2018). Absorptive capacity and organizational mechanisms: A systematic review and future directions. Review of International Business and Strategy, 29(1), 61-82. https://doi.org/10.1108/RIBS-10-2018-0089
16. Dobni, C.B. (2008). Measuring innovation culture in organizations: The development of a generalized inno-vation culture construct using exploratory factor analysis. European Journal of Innovation Management, 11(4), 539-559, https://doi.org/10.1108/14601060810911156
17. Duygulu, E., Ozeren, E., Bagiran, D., Appolloni, A., & Mavisu, M. (2015). Gaining insight into innovation cul-ture within the context of R&D centres in Turkey. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innova-tion Management, 19(1/2), 117-146, https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEIM.2015.068439
18. Edler, J., & Fagerberg, J. (2017). Innovation policy: What, why, and how. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 33(1), 2-23. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grx00
19. El Harbi, S., Anderson, A.R., & Amamou, M. (2014). Innovation culture in small Tunisian ICT firms. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 21(1), 132-151. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-06-2013-0086
20. Frangenheim, A., Trippl, M., & Chlebna, C. (2020). Beyond the Single Path View: Interpath Dynamics in Re-gional Contexts. Economic Geography, 6(1), 31-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/00130095.2019.1685378
21. Fritsch, M., Titze, M., & Piontek, M. (2020). Idenifying cooperaton for innovation―a comparison of data sources. Industry and Innovation, 27(6), 630-659. https://doi.org/10.1080/13662716.2019.1650253
22. Gabaldón-Estevan, D., & Ybarra, J-A. (2017). Innovative culture in district innovation systems of European ceramics SMEs. European Planning Studies, 25(11), 2021-2036. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2017.1353591
23. Garcia-Martinez, L.J., Kraus, S., Breier, M., & Kallmuenzer, A. (2023). Untangling the relationship between small and medium-sized enterprises and growth: a review of extant literature. International Entrepre-neurship and Management Journal, 19, 455-479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-023-00830-z
24. Greer, C.R., & Lei, D. (2012). Collaborative innovation with customers: a review of the literature and sugges-tions for future research. International Journal of Management Reviews, 14, 63-84. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00310.x
25. Grillitsch, M., Schubert, T., & Srholec, M. (2019). Knowledge base combinations and firm growth. Research Policy, 48(1), 234-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.08.009
26. Gui, L., Lei, H., & Le, P.B. (2024). Fostering product and process innovation through transformational leader-ship and knowledge management capability: the moderating role of innovation culture. European Jour-nal of Innovation Management, 27(1), 214-232. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-02-2022-0063
27. Hadjimanolis, A. (2010). Methods of political marketing in (trans) formation of innovation culture. Journal of Political Marketing, 9(1-2), 93-110. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377850903472554
28. Hanifah, H., Abdul Halim, H., & Vafaei-Zadeh, A. (2022). Social capital as innovative performance driver in SMEs leveraging on innovation culture and government support. Global Journal Al-Thaqafah, 45-54. https://doi.org/10.7187/GJATSI022022-5
29. Heider, A., Hülsbeck, M., & von Schlenk-Barnsdorf, L. (2022). The role of family firm specific resources in innovation: An integrative literature review and framework. Management Review Quarterly, 72(2), 483-530. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11301-021-00256-3
30. Hervás-Oliver, J-L., Parrilli, M.D., Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Sempere-Ripoll, F. (2021). The drivers of SME innova-tion in the regions of the EU. Research Policy, 50(9), 104316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2021.104316
31. Herzog, P., & Leker, J. (2010). Open and closed innovation – different innovation cultures for different strat-egies. International Journal of Technology Management, 52(3/4), 322-343. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2010.035979
32. Huggins, R., & Johnston, A. (2010). Knowledge flow across inter-firm networks: the influence of network resources, spatial proximity, and firm size. Entrepreneurship and regional development, 22(5), 457-484. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985620903171350
33. Hyland, P., & Beckett, R. (2005). Engendering an innovative culture and maintaining operational balance. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 12(3), 336-352. https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14626000510612268
34. Jouny-Rivier, E., Reynoso, J., & Edvardsson, B. (2017). Determinants of services co-creation with business customers. Journal of Services Marketing, 31(2), 85-103. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-01-2016-0001
35. Kim, S., & Yoon, G. (2015). An innovation-driven culture in local government: do senior manager’s transfor-mational leadership and the climate for creativity matter?. Public Personnel Management, 44(2), 147-168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026014568896
36. Knight, K.E. (1967). A descriptive model of the intra-firm innovation process. The Journal of Business, 40(4), 478-496. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/2351630 on October 12, 2023.
37. Kratzer, J., Meissner, D., & Roud, V. (2017). Open innovation and company culture: Internal openness makes the difference. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 119, 128-138, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.03.022
38. Kraus, S., Breier, M., & Dasí-Rodríguez, S. (2020). The art of crafting a systematic literature review in entre-preneurship research. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 16, 1023-1042. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-020-00635-4
39. Kraus, S., Reiche, B., & Reschke, C. (2005, September). The role of strategic planning in SMEs: literature re-view and implications. In proceedings of the Conference Annual Meeting of the British Academy of Man-agement (pp. 13-15). Oxford, UK.
40. Lee, W.I. (2018). The effect of external technology cooperation and internal relation on innovative behav-iour in technology intensive organizations. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7(4.4), 26-29. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i4.4.19601
41. Macpherson, A., & Holt, R. (2007). Knowledge, learning and small firm growth: a systematic review of the evidence, Research Policy, 36(2), 172-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2006.10.001
42. Martínez-Costa, M., Jiménez-Jiménez, D., & Rabeh, H.A.D. (2018). The effect of organisational learning on interorganisational collaborations in innovation: an empirical study in SMEs. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 17(2), 137-150. https://doi.org/10.1080/14778238.2018.1538601
43. Meissner, D., & Shmatko, N. (2019). Integrating professional and academic knowledge: the link between researchers skills and innovation culture. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 44, 1273-1289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-018-9662-8
44. Morcillo, P., Rodríguez-Antón, J.M., & Rubio, L. (2007). Corporate culture and innovation: in search of the perfect relationship. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 4(6), 547-570. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJIL.2007.013448
45. Naranjo-Valencia, J.C., & Calderon-Hernández, G. (2018). Model of culture for innovation. In J. Vveinhardt (Ed.), Organizational Culture, (pp. 13-34), Intechopen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81002
46. Nestle, V., Täube, F.A., Heidenreich, S., & Bogers, M. (2019). Establishing open innovation culture in cluster initiatives: The role of trust and information asymmetry. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 146, 563-572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2018.06.022
47. Netz, J., Reinmoeller, P., & Axelson, M. (2022). Crisis-driven innovation of products new to firms: The sensiti-zation response to COVID-19. R and D Management, 52(2), 407-426. https://doi.org/.1111/radm.12522
48. Nowak, R. (2019). Responding to key exogenous changes: the joint effect of network heterogeneity and culture of innovation. International Journal of Innovation Management, 23(4), 1950030. https://doi.org/ 10.1142/S1363919619500300
49. Olmos-Peñuela, J., García-Granero, A., Castro-Martínez, E., & D’Este, P. (2017). Strengthening SMEs’ innova-tion culture through collaborations with public research organizations. Do all firms benefit equally?. Eu-ropean Planning Studies, 25(11), 2001-2020. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2017.1279592
50. Pereira, R.M., MacLennan, M.L.F., & Tiago, E.F. (2020). Interorganizational cooperation and eco-innovation: a literature review. International Journal of Innovation Science, 12(5), 477-493. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIS-01-2020-0008
51. Pittaway, L., Holt, R., & Broad, J. (2014). Synthesising knowledge in entrepreneurship research - the role of systematic literature reviews. In E., Chell, & M. Karataş-Özkan (Eds.), Handbook of research on small business and entrepreneurship (pp. 83-105). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/ 10.4337/9781849809245.00014
52. Pittaway, L., Robertson, M., Munir, K., Denyer, D., & Neely, A. (2004). Networking and innovation: a system-atic review of the evidence. International Journal of Management Reviews, 5/6(3&4), 137-168. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-8545.2004.00101.x
53. Puślecki, Ł. (2023). Forging innovation cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe: Unveiling the location role in biopharmaceutical industry. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 11(3), 123-142. https://doi.org/10.15678/EBER.2023.110308
54. Raajpoot, N., & Sharma, A. (2021). The function of innovation culture in the success of new services. Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, 31(3). 392-414, https://doi.org/10.1080/21639159.2021.1924818
55. Raisal, I., Tarofder, A.K., & Silva, D. (2019). Exploring critical effect of knowledge inflows and absorptive ca-pacity on product innovation. Opción, 34, 985-1013
56. Sai Manohar, S., & Pandit, S.R. (2014). Core values and beliefs: a study of leading innovative organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 125, 667-680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1926-5
57. Sanni, M., & Verdolini, E. (2022). Eco-innovation and openness: Mapping the growth trajectories and the knowledge structure of open eco-innovation. Sustainable Futures, 4, 100067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2022.100067
58. Santos-Vijande, M.L., González‐Mieres, C., & López‐Sánchez, J.A. (2013). An assessment of innovativeness in KIBS: implications on KIBS’ co‐creation culture, innovation capability, and performance. Journal of Busi-ness & Industrial Marketing, 28(2), 86-102, https://doi.org/10.1108/08858621311295236
59. Sindakis, S., Aggarwal, S., & Chen, C. (2020). Coopetitive dynamics and inter-organizational knowledge flow among venture capital firms: A systematic literature review. Kybernetes, 49(1), 47-72, https://doi.org/10.1108/K-05-2019-0302
60. Soniewicki, M. (2022). Internal market knowledge sharing in medium-high-tech manufacturing company. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 10(2), 113-130. https://doi.org/10.15678/EBER.2022.100207
61. Stelmaszczyk, M. (2020). How Absorptive Capacity and Organisational Learning Orientation Interact to Ena-ble Innovation Capability? An Empirical Examination. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 8(1), 7-32. https://doi.org/10.15678/EBER.2020.080101
62. Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Busi-ness Research, 104, 333-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039
63. Thomas, E., Faccin, K., & Asheim, B.T. (2020). Universities as orchestrators of the development of regional innovation ecosystems in emerging economies. Growth and Change, 52, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1111/grow.12442
64. Tian, M., Deng, P., Zhang, Y., & Salmador, M.P. (2018). How does culture influence innovation? A systematic literature review. Management Decision, 56(5), 1088-1107. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-05-2017-0462
65. Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2003). Towards a methodology for developing evidence informed management knowledge by means of systematic review. British Journal of Management, 14, 207-222. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.00375
66. Thorpe, R., Holt, R., Macpherson, A., & Pittaway, L. (2006). Using knowledge within small and medium-sized firms: A systematic review of the evidence. International Journal of Management Reviews, 7(4), 257-281. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2005.00116.x
67. Vokoun, M., & Dvouletý, O. (2022). International, national and sectoral determinants of innovation: evolu-tionary perspective from the Czech, German, Hungarian and Slovak community innovation survey data. Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2022.2158309
68. Wang, C., & Hu, Q. (2020). Knowledge sharing in supply chain networks: effects of collaborative innovation activities and capability on innovation performance. Technovation, 94-95, 102010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2017.12.002
69. West, J., & Bogers, M. (2013). Leveraging external sources of innovation: a review of research on open inno-vation. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(4), 814-831. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpim.12125
70. Wolf, P., Kaudela-Baum, S., & Meissner, J.O. (2012). Exploring innovating cultures in small and medium-sized enterprises: Findings from Central Switzerland. International Small Business Journal, 30(3), 242-274. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266242610386666
71. Yoon, W., & Kwon, S. (2023).The Impact of Technological and Non-technological Innovative Activities on Technological Competitiveness. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 14, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-021-00868-w
72. Zahoor, N., & Al-Tabbaa, O. (2020). Inter-organizational collaboration and SMEs’ innovation: A systematic review and future research directions. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 36(2), 101109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scaman.2020.101109
73. Zygmunt, A. (2022). The effect of research and development personnel on innovation activities of firms: Evidence from small and medium-sized enterprises from the Visegrad Group countries. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 10(3), 105-121. https://doi.org/10.15678/EBER.2022.100307
74. Zygmunt, J. (2017). Enterprises’ development in peripheral regions: patterns and determinants. Problemy Zarządzania, 15, 1(65), 226-236. https://doi.org/10.7172/1644-9584.65.14