Inovação e porte das empresas: evidências sobre a experiência internacional e brasileira

The paper analyzes the relationship between innovation and firm size, aiming to distinguish the contribution of large and small firms to innovation activity. The analysis is conducted through the characteristics of the innovative effort undertaken by firms, obtained from the relationship between sales revenue and expenditures on innovative activities. Firstly, theoretical and empirical evidence on the subject is examined, with an emphasis on the literature that revisits Schumpeterian contributions and tests its main hypotheses. Subsequently, recent data on innovative effort are presented, highlighting the differences between firms of different sizes regarding R&D expenditures, external R&D acquisition, acquisition of other external knowledge, and acquisition of machinery and equipment. The databases used are CIS 6 (Community Innovation Survey, 2008) and PINTEC 2005/2008 (Pesquisa de Inovação Tecnológica). The analysis of these data indicates that the group of small firms that innovate demonstrates a superior innovative effort compared to large firms in most of the countries analyzed, underscoring the importance of these firms for innovation activity.