Estudios Económicos (Dec 2017)
University-industry collaboration importance in innovative brazilian industrial firms: a sectorial model
Abstract
This article examines empirically the university-industry collaboration (UIC) importance in innovative firms on Brazilian industry. This relation is considered an important tool for economic growth in innovation-led firms. It was used a hierarchical regression model for 25.667 innovative industrial firms in the year 2005, the innovation involves product, process, or organizational change. The Total Factor Productivity was introduced as independent variable, because it can be used in all firms as performance measure, and it was average centralized. The TFP is explained by firm’s internal capabilities, and in industry by the UIC importance. The found results are upward average (positive sign), and downward average (negative sign). The sectorial impact of UIC in the TFP is positive, but near zero. The internal capabilities present exchanged signs between the firm and the industry, only innovative labor have both signs positive. The random effects identify nine industries with upward productivity gains, 8,26 % of total Brazilian industry, and these industries are traditional, low-tech intensity, only the automotive industry is medium-technology. Twenty industries have downward productivity gains, 18,35 % of total Brazilian industry, and between them are high-technology industries, as diverse capital tools, and electronics.