Economic convergence is a major aim of the EU. Innovation and investment in economically weaker regions are key steps to foster convergence • Public institutions and the regulatory environment for investments differ substantially across EU member states and increase economic disparities •...

We evaluated the execution of the operational programs (OPs) committed to encouraging the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To achieve this goal, we employed a novel three-stage weighted Russel directional distance (WRDD)...

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to examine the justification for encouraging SME involvement in public procurement, as a means to stimulate innovation.Design/methodology/approach: By applying a post-positivistic/non-disciplinary approach the paper combines a narrative literature review of...

This paper examines the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Iran by applying the structural equation modelling (SEM). Using the annual time series data for the 1991-2006 period, two models were developed. In the first model the correlation between 12 determining factors and FDI in...

Using data from Swedish patent applications, this paper examines the pattern of foreign technology sourcing in Swedish multinational and non-multinational firms. The results show that both types of firms are more likely to make references to countries with large patent stocks and to countries...

Investments in the North by Southern firms are still unusual. While such investments may be motivated by tariff jumping and internalization, casual empiricism suggests that such reverse DFI may be motivated by improved technology access. This paper examines, within a theoretical framework,...

The liberalization of economic policies in the last two decades and intensifying market competition tend to be a cause of policy concern for the survival of SMEs in emerging economies like India. These SMEs account for the largest chunk of industrial units and employment in the national economy....