Knowledge Management Research (지식경영연구)

The Knowledge Management Society of Korea (한국지식경영학회)
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The Effects of Coupled Open Innovation of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises on Firm Performance: Focusing on R&D and Non-R&D Innovation Cooperation Activities

중소기업의 결합형 개방형 혁신이 기업성과에 미치는 효과: R&D 및 R&D 이외의 혁신협력활동을 중심으로

  • Received : 2022.08.08
  • Accepted : 2022.10.31
  • Published : 2022.12.31
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Abstract

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have strong incentives to engage in open innovation to enhance innovation efficiency and effectiveness due to their 'liability of smallness.' Previous research examined the performance effects of various open innovation practices, but whether coupled open innovation practices positively affect SMEs' firm performance is somewhat controversial. To resolve the issue, this study examined the effects of coupled open innovation activities on SMEs' firm performance using Heckman's two stage model to control endogeneity of the firms' self-selection bias in open innovation engagement. This study used the Korean Innovation Survey (KIS) 2020 collected by the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), and tested the effects of SMEs' coupled open innovation activities, R&D and non-R&D cooperation, on their innovative and financial performance indicators. The results showed that SMEs' R&D cooperation positively affects the new-to-market (NTM) product innovation only. Moreover, SMEs' non-R&D cooperation has positive effects on the product innovation, business process innovation, new-to-the-market product innovation, and new-to-firm (NTF) product innovation. However, the results showed that both R&D and non-R&D innovation cooperation activities have no significant effects on SMEs' financial performance indicators. This study contributes to research on SMEs' open innovation and provides insights for SMEs' managers and policymakers.

중소기업은 상대적으로 작은 규모와 제한된 자원으로 인해 혁신의 효율성과 효과성을 높이기 위해 개방형 혁신에 참여한다. 기존 연구들은 중소기업이 수행하는 다양한 유형의 개방형 혁신활동의 성과효과를 연구하였으나, 특히 결합형 개방형 혁신활동의 성과효과에 대한 결과가 혼재한 상황이다. 이에 본 연구는 중소기업의 결합형 개방형 혁신협력활동을 'R&D 협력활동'과 'R&D 이외의 협력활동'으로 세분화하여, 각 활동이 기업의 혁신성과와 재무성과에 미치는 효과를 Heckman의 2단계 모형을 적용하여 검정하였다. 분석 데이터로는 과학기술정책연구원(STEPI) 주관의 국가승인통계인 '2020년 한국기업혁신조사: 제조업 부문' 자료를 활용하였다. 분석결과 중소기업의 R&D 협력활동은 시장최초 상품혁신 성과에만 유의미한 정(+)의 효과가 있고, R&D 이외의 협력활동은 상품혁신, 비즈니스프로세스혁신, 시장최초 상품혁신, 자사최초 상품혁신 모두에 유의미한 정(+)의 효과가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 하지만 두 유형의 혁신협력활동 모두 재무성과에는 유의미한 효과가 없는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 이러한 혁신협력활동의 성과효과는 중소기업 내에서도 기업규모에 따라 다른 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구는 중소기업 맥락의 개방형 혁신 연구에 이론적으로 기여하며, 중소기업 경영자의 혁신전략 수립 및 관련 정책입안자의 정책 방향 도출에 참고가능한 지침을 제공한다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문은 한양대학교 교내연구지원사업으로 연구되었음(HY-202000000003406).

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