Empirical models of firms' innovation, diversity and behaviour

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on firms' innovation, diversity and behaviour. The first chapter highlights how the relation between competition and innovation can additionally be shaped by the structure, distribution and heterogeneity of knowledge across competing innovators. We provide panel data evidence using data on the evolution of multi-dimensional features and attributes of smartphones. The second chapter explores the implications of the diversity of R\&D sources on firm innovativeness, focusing on the different impact on financially constrained and unconstrained firms. Finally, the third chapter deals with the impact of legal institutions on creditor's protection, firms' innovation and access to credit in Italy.