Demystifying the factors contributing to successful process innovations in the Czech automotive industries

Abstract

There is a need for firms to know the factors driving their process innovation. Knowledge of these determinants will help firms to withstand the tough market competitions from their rivals leading to growth and increased productivity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants probable to influence firms process innovations. We focused on the automobile industries in the Czech Republic using data from the Eurostat Community Innovations Survey (CIS) conducted between 2012-2014 and the Structural Equation Model. Our results have shown that the main driving factors probable to contribute to process innovation in these industries were innovation expenditures, collaborations with different partners, engaging in research and development and innovation financial support. Contrary to the literature, we found out that firm’s competition in international markets didn’t have any influence on their process innovations. Practical implications are also provided for policymakers and management of these industries. © 2020, Bulgarska Akademiya na Naukite. All rights reserved.