Innovative Capacity of Italian Manufacturing Firms
研究了2007-2009年意大利制造业企业的创新能力，从技术设备投资、研发和融资方式三个角度分析，发现意大利企业在基础设施投资上相对不足，研发投资较强但融资方式偏向传统债务。
In the current scenario of h igh technological co mpetitiveness and environmental co mp lexity, the innovation capacity of manufacturing firms is one of the principal key driver for co mpeting on the global markets. The context is increasingly dominated by strong and growing competition between companies fro m all over the world so, manufacturing firms are forced to move the focus of competitive advantage on innovation. This paper focuses on innovative capacity of Italian manufacturing firms over the period 2007-2009 fro m three different points of view. First, the investments in technological equipment, plant, machinery and ICT; second, the RD third, the way that firms finance their innovation activity and investments. Analyzing a samp le of 524 Euro pean manufacturing firms fro m these three different points of view, several findings emerge fro m the co mparison of firms in different countries. Most Italian co mpanies have a good basic ICT supply, but they invest relatively less than the average in new in frastructure, mach inery and equip ment. Investments in innovation and R&D are stronger, although funding strategies are unbalanced towards traditional debt instruments and they are more undifferentiated considering the final ob jectives of the investment. The research concludes with interesting managerial implications wh ich provide a conceptual interpretation of the phenomena and prescribe actions to policy makers.