Innovative Activities in “Low and Medium-Low” Technology Industries: A survey on the mechanisms of diffusion of innovation

Abstract

This study evaluates the characteristics of technological innovation from the assumption that this phenomenon is part of a process composed of different modes of production of technical and scientific knowledge. In order to do this, we will also examine a number of other activities made within the firm, some of them closely related to the diffusion of technology, besides the "traditional" research and development (R & D). Hence, the article focuses on the discussion of innovation in Low and Medium-low technology (LML) industries. For the examination of the characteristics of innovative activities, we confront the industries of some countries using data from the Pesquisa de Inovação Tecnológica (PINTEC, 2010) and the Community Innovation Survey (CIS, 2009) for Brazilian companies and countries of the European Union, respectively. The findings indicate that there are significant differences in the characteristics of innovation in different countries and industries; and suggest important structural and institutional factors as determinants of technological activities.