INOVAÇÂO E A COMPETITIVIDADE NAS EMPRESAS EUROPEIAS. UMA ANÀLISE EMPÌRICA
INOVAÇÂO E A COMPETITIVIDADE NAS EMPRESAS EUROPEIAS. UMA ANÀLISE EMPÌRICA
-
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.3071525101012
-
Palavras-chave: Inovação; Competitividade, Tecnologia, Empresas Europeias, Desempenho Empresarial.
-
Keywords: innovation; technological adoption; competitiveness; European firms; SMEs; digital transformation; business performance; European Company Survey (ECS 2019)
-
Abstract: n a global context marked by rapid technological transformations and increasing competitive pressure, innovation plays a central role as a determinant of economic development and business competitiveness. This study examines the relationship between innovation, technological adoption, and competitive performance in European firms, based on data from the European Company Survey 2019 (ECS 2019). The sample comprises 21,869 business establishments from 28 European countries, predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the service sector. The research, descriptive and exploratory in nature, investigates the associations between engagement in innovation activities, the use of advanced technologies namely robotics, customized software, and data analytics and several organizational performance indicators such as competitiveness, production, exports, and profitability. The results show that 29.6% of firms develop new products or services internally, with the use of advanced technologies strongly associated with internal innovation capacity. Firms operating in more competitive markets display a higher propensity for innovation and achieve superior levels of production and exports. Internally driven innovation thus emerges as a key driver of growth and business resilience, particularly among European SMEs. The study concludes that the strategic integration of innovation and technology constitutes an essential axis for strengthening competitiveness and fostering sustainable economic development in the contemporary European context.
- Rui Manuel Mansidão
- Maria Leonor Pires