The Risks of Innovation: Are Innovating Firms Less Likely to Die?

A-Tier
Journal: Review of Economics and Statistics
Year: 2015
Volume: 97
Issue: 3
Pages: 638-653

Score contribution per author:

2.011 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

While innovation matters for competitiveness, it may expose firms to survival risks. Using plant-product data for Chile and discretetime hazard models, we show that innovating plants have a lower hazard of exit. However, risk has a strong impact on the innovation-exit relationship: only innovators that retain diversified sources of revenue or face lower market risk are less likely to die. Single-product innovators are at greater risk of exiting. Exposure to technical risk does not affect exit probabilities differentially. We provide tentative evidence that singleproduct innovators have higher profits, which helps to rationalize their innovation decision despite the increased risk of exit.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:tpr:restat:v:97:y:2015:i:2:p:638-653
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25