The Effect of Business Improvement Methods on Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Peripheral Regions

Harris, R.; McAdam, R.; Reid, R.

Abstract

The effect of business improvement methods on innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises in peripheral regions, Regional Studies. This paper tests whether commonly used business improvement methods (BIM) foster or inhibit innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in peripheral regions. The findings show that adopting BIM diverts firms away from successful innovation (i.e., in terms of new products/services and new processes in the past three years), and instead is associated with undertaking innovation-related activities while remaining non-innovators. Indeed, reinforcing BIM (through greater ‘depth’ of use) may lead to further exclusion from successful innovation.

Citation

Harris, R., McAdam, R., & Reid, R. (2015). The Effect of Business Improvement Methods on Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Peripheral Regions. Regional Studies, 50(12), 2040-2054. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2015.1083971

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 21, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Oct 6, 2015
• Publication Date: Oct 6, 2015
• Deposit Date: Jul 30, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 6, 2017
• Journal: Regional Studies
• Print ISSN: 0034-3404
• Electronic ISSN: 1360-0591
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 50
• Issue: 12
• Pages: 2040-2054
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2015.1083971
• Keywords: Innovation, Business improvement methods.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1424726