Intangible assets as drivers of innovation: Empirical evidence on multinational enterprises in German and UK regional systems of innovation

Intangible assets as drivers of innovation: Empirical evidence on multinational enterprises in German and UK regional systems of innovation: "Publication year: 2011
Source: Technovation, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 7 July 2011
Jan-Philipp, Kramer , Elisabetta, Marinelli , Simona, Iammarino , Javier Revilla, Diez
The sources of value creation are increasingly relying on intangible assets (IAs). IAs are the lifeblood of knowledge-intensive industries where the new value added is disproportionally based on specialized, non-repetitious activities. However, while the role of IAs is recognised as central to sustain the competitiveness of firms and innovation systems, the understanding of the mechanisms through which IAs display their effects has not yet been fully grasped.By focussing on the processes through which investments in IAs occur, this paper aims to explore the key dimensions through which two specific IAs – organisational and network capital – are enhanced and contribute...
 Highlights: ► We identified key dimensions through which two intangible assets (IAs), organisational and network capital, are enhanced in MNEs and contribute to their embeddedness in regional innovation systems. ► We present processes through which investments on IAs occurs, the structures that support those processes within the firm and the external connections with the regional environment. ► We show that micro-level IAs influence and are influenced by regional IAs. ► MNEs appear to be deeply regionally embedded and supportive of the regional creation of IAs."