Innovation, profitability and growth in medium and high-tech manufacturing industries: Evidence from Italy

Maria Luisa Mancusi (1) , Andrea Vezzulli (2) , Franco Malerba (3) , Claudio Cozza (4) , Giulio Perani (5)

1 Economics
2 UNIBO - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna = University of Bologna
3 Economics
4 IPTS
5 ISTAT

The main goal of this paper is to assess the impact of product innovation on the economic performance of firms operating in medium and high-tech industries. Using information from a large and unique dataset on Italian firms we estimate, by means of propensity scores matching methods, a positive and significant "innovation premium" both in terms of profitability and growth (in the short run) for those firms who introduced new innovative products. We also find that this innovation premium is particularly large for small firms and even more so when considering new established firms.

Mots clés: Social Sciences & Humanities

Domaines: Économie et finance quantitative [q-fin]

Maria Luisa Mancusi, Andrea Vezzulli, Franco Malerba, Claudio Cozza, Giulio Perani. Innovation, profitability and growth in medium and high-tech manufacturing industries: Evidence from Italy. Applied Economics, 2011, pp.1. ⟨10.1080/00036846.2011.556594⟩. ⟨hal-00684299⟩