Abstract
The innovation literature states that scientists are core ingredients in creating technological innovations. This paper
investigates whether the hiring of a designer generates aesthetic innovations by a firm. Further we investigate what the
level of design knowledge of the receiving firm means for the firms? absorptive capacity, in terms of turning the hiring of
the designer into aesthetic innovations. We explore a unique dataset containing information on firms, their hiring of
designers and aesthetic innovations measured by design applications (design patents). Our findings show that hiring a
designer does increase firms? likelihood of producing aesthetic innovations. Secondly, firms with prior experience of
aesthetic innovations are more likely to apply for design registrations. Thirdly, there is a positive moderating effect of
firms with prior experience of generating aesthetic innovations on the effect of hiring a designer on aesthetic innovation
outcome.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of DRUID 2015 |
| Number of pages | 35 |
| Publisher | DRUID Society |
| Publication date | 2015 |
| Article number | 2498 |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
| Event | DRUID Society Conference 2015: The Relevance of Innovation - Rome, Italy Duration: 15 Jun 2015 → 17 Jun 2015 |
Conference
| Conference | DRUID Society Conference 2015 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Italy |
| City | Rome |
| Period | 15/06/2015 → 17/06/2015 |