How do Investments in R&D and Information Technology Interact on Firm Performance?

Öz

The impact of R&D investments cannot be evaluated separately from the investments made in information technologies in today’s highly digitalized knowledge economy. Besides, there is a mixed evidence in the prior management literature on the impact of expensive R&D investments on either firm productivity or firm performance measures. This study explores the role of IT as a catalyst in enhancing the productivity of R&D processes using a unique multi-year firm level data of large global firms all over the world. The findings suggest that R&D and IT do not simply interact for better firm performance at all circumstances. The interaction effects are observed for industrial firms that spend more on R&D relative to their peers in the same industry; but not for firms that are in more knowledge-intensive industries. This study sheds light on the joint effects of R&D and IT making several other implications for companies and practitioners.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• R&D,Information technology,firm performance,interaction effects

Ar-Ge ve Bilgi Teknolojileri Yatırımları Firma Performansı üzerinde Nasıl Etkileşir?

Öz

Bugünün oldukça dijitalleşmiş bilgi ekonomisinde ARGE yatırımlarının etkileri bilgi teknolojilerine yapılan yatırımlardan ayrı olarak değerlendirilemez. Bunun yanı sıra, yönetim yazınında pahalı ARGE yatırımlarının firma performansı veya üretkenliği ölçütlerine etkisi ile ilgili karışık deliller mevcuttur. Bu çalışma kendine has çok yıllı firma seviyesinde dünya genelinde küresel ve büyük şirketlerin verilerini kullanarak Bilgi Teknolojilerinin ARGE süreçlerinin üretkenliğini arttırmadaki rolünü incelemektedir. Bulgular ARGE ve Bilgi Teknolojilerinin basit şekilde daha iyi firma performansı için tüm koşullarda etkileşmediğini göstermektedir. Etkileşme etkileri aynı endüstride yer alan diğer firmalardan göreceli olarak daha çok ARGE yatırımı yapan endüstriyel firmalarda görülürken daha bilgi-yoğun endüstrilerde gözlemlenmemektedir. Bu çalışma ARGE ve Bilgi Teknolojileri yatırımlarının ortak etkilerine ışık tutarken firmalar ve uygulamacılar için de diğer birçok öneriler sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ar-Ge, Bilgi Teknolojileri, firma performansı, etkileşme etkileri

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