Innovación, cultura y tamaño: La microempresa en una región ultraperiférica

Abstract

The analysis of innovation activities, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of micro companies has few precedents in innovation studies, although this group represents over 95% of all businesses in Spain and the European Union. This paper presents the empirical results of a study on innovation in micro firms, which aims to identify and explain the factors that most affect their ability to innovate, based on the approach of the Triple Helix. Among these factors, next stand out: human, social and relational capital, the ability to absorb foreign knowledge and the existence of an innovative culture that facilitates the attitudes, beliefs and opportunities necessary to innovate in collaborative environments with multiple relationships and interactions. The analysis is completed with a characterization of micro companies, attending to the weight of these factors and some of the innovation barriers that were identified.