Innovation capabilities of European nations Cross-national analyses of patents and sales of product innovations

摘要

The relationships among R&D and other innovation activities, patents granted and sales of product innovations influenced by various specified characteristics of a NIS are investigated at the national level and tested on data for 14 EU nations in 1992 and 1996. The statistical results show patents to depend on sales of product innovations. Furthermore, both national innovation outcome indicators depend on largely the same macro- and micro-economic conditions while they differ in additional explanatory conditions, namely governmentally regulated institutional conditions for patents and firm specific characteristics for sales of product innovations.