DOI: 10.5176/2251-2039_IE1251
Authors: P A Barbonis and G Leonaviciute
Abstract: The main purpose of European research funding is to raise the competitiveness of European industries, amongst others thru innovation. The European Union (EU) has plans to raise R&D expenditure to 3 per cent of GNP by 2020 and its technology policy since 1998 has given greater attention to SMEs which are viewed as being actually involved in triggering change and shaping EU competitiveness, apart from significantly contributing to the economy. In this study, we attempted to determine what factors influence SME performance when participating in R&D consortia-based projects funded by the EU, and aimed at innovation. The study looked at twenty one SMEs involved in five R&D state-of-art projects in which both large firms and public research and technology organizations were partners.
Keywords: innovation, R&D; consortia; technology, SME; EU
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