FuE-Kooperation von kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen. Evaluation der BMFT-Maßnahmen auf diesem Gebiet

The phenomenon of industrial RandD cooperation has by now been extensively researched; however, innovation research has hitherto devoted little attention to RandD cooperation on the part of SMEs. There is reason to suppose that small and medium-sized manufacturing companies (defined as companies with less than up to 500 employees) are dependent to a growing degree on RandD cooperation, this being governed by the size and direction of a company's technological orientation. This was the aspect focussed on by an empirical study carried out by the FraunhoferInstitut für Systemtechnik und Innovationsforschung, Karlsruhe, in collaboration with prognos AG in Basle. The study was sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Research and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany. The study has two topics: - a general analysis of the behaviour of SME in the field of RandD cooperation. - an evaluation of relevant policy measures of the German Ministry for Research and Technology.