International co-operation between firms on innovation and r&d: empirical evidence from argentina and spain

This paper examines co-operative innovation and Research and Development (R&D) behaviour between Argentine and
Spanish firms. Based on theoretical perspectives from the literature, we present empirical evidence obtained from 104
firms of patterns of cooperation in several processes and out-puts, highlighting firm characteristics, the motives of the
collaborating parties, types of partners, R&D and innovation activities, leadership, and obstacles to cooperation. Our
results reveal that the determinants of success differ considerably among countries depending on the sector, the firm
specific characteristics and funding. These differences have important implications for public policy and instruments to
support R&D and innovation activities.