TECHNOLOGICAL COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY BASED-FIRMS: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL PARTNERS

This paper examines the role of technological collaboration on innovation performance of technology based-firms (TBFs). We explore the impact of different types of technological partners on diverse innovation outputs. We pay special attention to the function of Universities serving as important driving force in technological partnership relations. Empirical research is based on Technological Innovation Panel (PITEC) for the period 2004-2007. Our findings show the role of Universities is especially relevant for attaining exploration results. Collaboration with clients and suppliers increases TBF’s propensity for achieving produt and process innovations, which are results linked with completing innovation process (i.e. exploitation activities).