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Firms' Innovation Activity and Numerical Flexibility

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  • Amaia Altuzarra
  • Felipe Serrano

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between manufacturing firms' innovation activity (measured by product innovation, process innovation, and R&D activities) and their numerical flexibility (proxied by the rate of fixed-term contracts). Estimates using data from Spain's Survey on Firms' Strategies (EESE) for the years 2000–2002 reveal a non-monotonic relationship: a firm's probability of innovating and carrying out R&D increased as the rate of use of temporary and other non-core workers increased, but only up to a threshold, beyond which this probability decreased.

Suggested Citation

  • Amaia Altuzarra & Felipe Serrano, 2010. "Firms' Innovation Activity and Numerical Flexibility," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 63(2), pages 327-339, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:63:y:2010:i:2:p:327-339
    DOI: 10.1177/001979391006300208
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    4. Grassi, Emanuele & Di Cintio, Marco, 2012. "Uncertainty, flexible labour relations and R&D expenditure," MPRA Paper 37646, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Nicole Torka & Jan Kees Looise & Stefan Zagelmeyer, 2011. "Ordinary Atypical Workers, Participation within the Firm and Innovation: A Theoretical Endeavor and Empirical Outlook," management revue - Socio-Economic Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 22(3), pages 221-239.
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    7. Moro, Andrea & Maresch, Daniela & Ferrando, Annalisa & Udell, Gregory F., 2022. "Funding innovation and the regulatory environment – The role of employment protection legislation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 745-756.
    8. Stirpe, Luigi & Bonache, Jaime & Revilla, Antonio, 2014. "Differentiating the workforce: The performance effects of using contingent labor in a context of high-performance work systems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(7), pages 1334-1341.
    9. Chengde You & Huishan Qiu & Zhuojie Pi & Mengyuan Yu, 2023. "Sustainable Enterprise Development in the Manufacturing Sector: Flexible Employment and Innovation in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-30, May.
    10. Nicole Torka & Jan Kees Looise & Stefan Zagelmeyer, 2011. "Ordinary Atypical Workers, Participation within the Firm and Innovation: A Theoretical Endeavor and Empirical Outlook," management revue. Socio-economic Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, vol. 22(3), pages 221-239.
    11. Armanda Cetrulo & Valeria Cirillo & Dario Guarascio, 2018. "Weaker jobs, weaker innovation. Exploring the temporary employment-product innovation nexus," LEM Papers Series 2018/06, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    12. Alfred Kleinknecht, 2017. "Supply-side labour market reforms: a neglected cause of the productivity crisis," Working Papers 0027, ASTRIL - Associazione Studi e Ricerche Interdisciplinari sul Lavoro.
    13. Antonio ALOISI & Valerio DE STEFANO, 2020. "Regulation and the future of work: The employment relationship as an innovation facilitator," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 159(1), pages 47-69, March.
    14. Andrés J. Marchante Mera & Alejandro García Pozo & José Luis Sánchez Ollero, 2017. "Flexibilidad Laboral Y Productividad En El Sector De Alojamiento De Andalucia," Revista de Estudios Regionales, Universidades Públicas de Andalucía, vol. 1, pages 17-41.
    15. Hoxha, Sergei & Kleinknecht, Alfred, 2020. "When labour market rigidities are useful for innovation. Evidence from German IAB firm-level data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(7).
    16. Kato, Masatoshi & Zhou, Haibo, 2018. "Numerical labor flexibility and innovation outcomes of start-up firms: A panel data analysis," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 15-27.
    17. Dughera, Stefano & Quatraro,Francesco & Ricci,Andrea & Vittori,Claudia, 2021. "For the rest of our lives: Flexibility and innovation in Italy," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis LEI & BRICK - Laboratory of Economics of Innovation "Franco Momigliano", Bureau of Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge, Collegio 202102, University of Turin.

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