DETERMINANTS OF R&D COLLABORATION: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

The focus of the study is on the determinants of R&D collaboration and their effects on its breadth and depth. Using a sample from an original survey of 193 Finnish firms, we examine the effects of R&D intensity, incoming spillovers, size, specific motives and selected appropriability mechanisms on R&D collaboration with various actors. The findings indicate that R&D intensity and incoming spillovers have a positive impact on the breadth of collaboration, and that firm size is relevant. Size is also quite decisive in terms of depth in that it relates to the existence of collaboration with five out of six different partner types. Finally, the determinants differ slightly depending on the external organizations with which the firm collaborates. The study complements previous research on the determinants of R&D collaboration in focusing on a variety of factors and examining them in terms of both breadth and depth.