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Industry 4.0 and clusters: complementaries or substitutes in firm’s knowledge creation?

Industry 4.0 and clusters: complementaries or substitutes in firm’s knowledge creation? This paper aims to show the interaction effects between clusters and cluster-specific attributes and the industrial internet of things (IoT) knowledge of a firm on the innovativeness of firms. Cluster theory and the concept of key enabling technologies are linked to test their effect on a firm’s incremental and radical knowledge generation.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative approach at the firm-level. By combining several data sources (e.g. ORBIS, PATSTAT and German subsidy catalogue) the paper relies on a unique database encompassing 8,347 firms in Germany. Ordinary least squares (OLS)-regression techniques are used for data analysis.FindingsIndustrial IoT is an important driver of radical patents, mediated positively by firm size. For incremental knowledge, a substitution effect occurs between a cluster and IoT effects, which is bigger for larger firms and dependent on cluster attributes and firms’ outside connections.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper opens up new research paths considering long-term disruptive effects of the industrial IoT compared to short-term effects on the innovativeness of firms within clusters. Additionally, it enables further research enriching the discussion about cluster attributes and how these affect ongoing processes.Practical implicationsLinking cluster theory and policy with Industry 4.0 raises awareness for being considerate in terms of funding and scrutinising one-size-fits-all approaches.Originality/valueConnecting the concepts of a cluster and advanced manufacturing technologies as a proxy for industrial IoT, specifically focussing on both radical and incremental innovations is a new approach. Especially, taking into account the interaction effects between cluster attributes and the influence of industrial IoT on the innovativeness of firms. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal incorporating Journal of Global Competitiveness Emerald Publishing

Industry 4.0 and clusters: complementaries or substitutes in firm’s knowledge creation?

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1059-5422
DOI
10.1108/cr-12-2019-0162
Publisher site
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Abstract

This paper aims to show the interaction effects between clusters and cluster-specific attributes and the industrial internet of things (IoT) knowledge of a firm on the innovativeness of firms. Cluster theory and the concept of key enabling technologies are linked to test their effect on a firm’s incremental and radical knowledge generation.Design/methodology/approachQuantitative approach at the firm-level. By combining several data sources (e.g. ORBIS, PATSTAT and German subsidy catalogue) the paper relies on a unique database encompassing 8,347 firms in Germany. Ordinary least squares (OLS)-regression techniques are used for data analysis.FindingsIndustrial IoT is an important driver of radical patents, mediated positively by firm size. For incremental knowledge, a substitution effect occurs between a cluster and IoT effects, which is bigger for larger firms and dependent on cluster attributes and firms’ outside connections.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper opens up new research paths considering long-term disruptive effects of the industrial IoT compared to short-term effects on the innovativeness of firms within clusters. Additionally, it enables further research enriching the discussion about cluster attributes and how these affect ongoing processes.Practical implicationsLinking cluster theory and policy with Industry 4.0 raises awareness for being considerate in terms of funding and scrutinising one-size-fits-all approaches.Originality/valueConnecting the concepts of a cluster and advanced manufacturing technologies as a proxy for industrial IoT, specifically focussing on both radical and incremental innovations is a new approach. Especially, taking into account the interaction effects between cluster attributes and the influence of industrial IoT on the innovativeness of firms.

Journal

Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal incorporating Journal of Global Competitiveness – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jan 17, 2021

Keywords: Incremental innovation; Radical innovation; Cluster; Industry 4.0; Advanced manufacturing; AMT; Radical; Incremental; Innovation

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