Towards understanding variety in knowledge intensive business services by distinguishing their knowledge bases
Towards understanding variety in knowledge intensive business services by distinguishing their knowledge bases
Knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) are known to play a significant role in innovation systems. Past research has however mostly treated KIBS as a homogenous group; it is now time to understand better the variety that exists among KIBS. In this study, we apply a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to examine a dataset of 362 UK-based KIBS firms active in three ‘sectors’: architecture and engineering consulting; specialist design; and software and IT consulting. By applying content analysis techniques to information drawn from firms’ websites, we identify each firm’s primary ‘knowledge base’, be that analytical, synthetic or symbolic knowledge. We then relate the firms’ primary knowledge base to their engagement in R&D, design, and innovation, and examine how the ‘drivers’ of innovation vary between firms with different primary knowledge bases. The paper thereby contributes to the literature, first by identifying empirically ‘knowledge bases’, then relating these to the variety that exists among KIBS. The paper concludes by highlighting issues for further conceptual, methodological and empirical research.
knowledge bases, knowledge intensive business services (kibs), diversity, innovation, content analysis
401-413
Oliveira Pina, Katia
229b515b-4295-4af3-9534-785fe2b7919e
Tether, Bruce
4a42d972-8322-48e8-9bc0-53d611f297b5
March 2016
Oliveira Pina, Katia
229b515b-4295-4af3-9534-785fe2b7919e
Tether, Bruce
4a42d972-8322-48e8-9bc0-53d611f297b5
Oliveira Pina, Katia and Tether, Bruce
(2016)
Towards understanding variety in knowledge intensive business services by distinguishing their knowledge bases.
Research Policy, 45 (2), .
(doi:10.1016/j.respol.2015.10.005).
Abstract
Knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) are known to play a significant role in innovation systems. Past research has however mostly treated KIBS as a homogenous group; it is now time to understand better the variety that exists among KIBS. In this study, we apply a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods to examine a dataset of 362 UK-based KIBS firms active in three ‘sectors’: architecture and engineering consulting; specialist design; and software and IT consulting. By applying content analysis techniques to information drawn from firms’ websites, we identify each firm’s primary ‘knowledge base’, be that analytical, synthetic or symbolic knowledge. We then relate the firms’ primary knowledge base to their engagement in R&D, design, and innovation, and examine how the ‘drivers’ of innovation vary between firms with different primary knowledge bases. The paper thereby contributes to the literature, first by identifying empirically ‘knowledge bases’, then relating these to the variety that exists among KIBS. The paper concludes by highlighting issues for further conceptual, methodological and empirical research.
Text
Pina Tether_2016_Research Policy.pdf
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 13 October 2015
e-pub ahead of print date: 21 November 2015
Published date: March 2016
Keywords:
knowledge bases, knowledge intensive business services (kibs), diversity, innovation, content analysis
Organisations:
Centre for Innovation & Enterprise
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 388815
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/388815
ISSN: 0048-7333
PURE UUID: cc665687-8f5e-4760-9a2c-186501b97ac0
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Date deposited: 03 Mar 2016 14:18
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 05:25
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Contributors
Author:
Katia Oliveira Pina
Author:
Bruce Tether
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