User Innovation - Empirical Evidence from Russia

28 Pages Posted: 8 Apr 2013 Last revised: 25 Oct 2013

See all articles by Anna Zaytseva

Anna Zaytseva

Université Libre de Bruxelles, Centre d'études de la vie politique (CEVIPOL)

Olga Shuvalova

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow)

Dirk Meissner

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow)

Date Written: April 8, 2013

Abstract

Innovations are commonly seen as resulting from the commercialization of new ideas and technological goods by dedicated organizations, especially firms. This conception is reflected in a producer-oriented approach to science, technology and innovation policy-making (STI). However a new understanding of the role of users within innovation processes is gradually taking shape, with profound policy implications. User innovations are often not based on technological improvement or R&D and remain largely under-estimated. Although there are many case studies of user innovators at the industry level, the role of users is not captured by general statistics on innovation. Up to now the only exception is the empirical evidence-based study of user innovation carried out in the UK in 2009. Recently it was complemented by empirical data from the USA and Japan. The present article aims to contribute to closing the gap of empirical data on user engagement into innovation activities at cross-country level. The analysis is based on the results from a national survey carried out in Russia in 2011. The findings contribute to the better understanding of user innovators profile and of the factors which underpin user innovator activities in the context of emerging economies.

The article is organized as follows. The first section reviews the relevant literature on the user innovation concept and the main features of user innovations as compared to producer-generated innovations, as well as on the measurement of user innovators. The second section presents the research methodology and the main empirical results. Finally, the paper discusses some of main analytical and policy implications of the empirical findings.

Keywords: User Innovation, Innovation Sources, Open Innovation, Innovation Management, Demand Driven Innovation

JEL Classification: L21, M10, M14, M31, O21, O32, O33

Suggested Citation

Zaytseva, Anna and Shuvalova, Olga and Meissner, Dirk, User Innovation - Empirical Evidence from Russia (April 8, 2013). Higher School of Economics Research Paper No. WP BRP 08/STI/2013, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2246685 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2246685

Anna Zaytseva

Université Libre de Bruxelles, Centre d'études de la vie politique (CEVIPOL) ( email )

Avenue Jeanne, 44 - CP 124
Brussels, Brussels 1050
Belgium

Olga Shuvalova

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow) ( email )

Myasnitskaya street, 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

Dirk Meissner (Contact Author)

National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow) ( email )

Myasnitskaya street 20
Moscow, Moscow 119017
Russia

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