Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Voeten, Jaap
Author-Email: J.Voeten@uvt.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: Tilburg University
Author-Name: Haan, Job de
Author-Email: j.a.c.dehaan@uvt.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: Tilburg University
Author-Name: Groot, Gerard de
Author-Email: g.a.degroot@uvt.nl
Author-Workplace-Name: Tilburg University
Title: Is that Innovation? Assessing Examples of Revitalized Economic Dynamics among 
	 Clusters of Small Producers in Northern Vietnam
Abstract: This paper addresses the question whether innovation is within reach for 
	 small enterprises in developing economies by studying four cases of new 
	 technologies, products and business practices in traditional craft in 
	 Northern Vietnam. The paper starts with reviewing definitions of 
	 innovation since Schumpeter. It concludes that newness, value creation 
	 and process are time and again considered as the key-elements of 
	 innovation. Innovation, hence, may be summarized as the process of 
	 introducing something new that creates value. Subsequently, this 
	 theoretical definition is operationalized into an innovation assessment 
	 instrument and applied in the aforementioned cases. The instrument 
	 verified the occurrence of innovation in three out of four cases of 
	 small producers' clusters in Northern Vietnam. The entrepreneurs managed 
	 to implement innovation on their own strength and upon their own
	 initiative. This provides evidence that small enterprises in developing 
	 countries are indeed able to take part in the process of increasing 
	 competitiveness through innovation.
Classification-JEL: O31
Keywords: innovation, small enterprises, clusters, value chains, Vietnam
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2009
Number: 055
File-URL: http://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2009/wp2009-055.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2009055