Previous research shows that innovations help companies to overcome crises. But it is still unclear whether and to what extent external shocks force companies without or less pre-existing innovation experience to innovate and how successful these innovations are to improve the economic situation. The authors show in this Working Paper that Innovators without pre-existing innovation experience can even gain a competitive advantage over non-innovative companies by acting proactively during the crisis. But these positive effects are stronger for companies with pre-existing innovation experience.
Working Papers | 2026 Innovation in Times of Crisis: Does Pre-Existing Innovation Experience Matter?
Brink, S.; Schröder, C.; Nielen, S.; Günther, C. (2026): Innovation in Times of Crisis: Does Pre-Existing Innovation Experience Matter?, in: IfM Bonn Working Paper 01/26, Bonn.
Parent study
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Impact of SMEs' innovation activity on their economic development in times of crisis
Brink, S.; Nielen, S.; Schröder, C. (2022): Die Auswirkungen der Innovationstätigkeit von KMU in Krisenzeiten auf ihre wirtschaftliche Entwicklung, in: IfM Bonn, IfM-Materialie Nr. 296, Bonn.