How do ICT firms in Turkey manage innovation? Diversity in expertise versus diversity in markets
Semih Akçomak, Erdal Akdeve & Derya Fındık
#2013-024
This paper provides a novel taxonomy of firms based on specialization
versus diversification in production and markets. Firms may choose to
specialize on few production activities or alternatively may build
expertise in many activities. There is an accompanying decision when
firms sell their products: whether to serve few or many markets. We
argue that the location on the specialization-diversification spectrum
significantly affects how firms manage innovation. For a sample of 90
innovator ICT firms in Ankara we find that cooperation structure,
sources of innovation and funding of R&D display statistically
significant different patterns according to the
specialization-diversification taxonomy.
Key words: management of innovation, core competency, expertise
building, R&D, ICT
JEL: O32, L22, L86