12
Figure 2: Companies joining R&D co-operations distinguished according to
their size
companies: □ participating in R&D co-operations
□ not participating in R&D co-operations
© IfM Bonn
02 32 010
Market performance
Two variables were chosen to be added to the model representing the present
economic performance of the companies on the market: the growth rate of em-
ployees as an indicator for prosperity and the percentage of return on sales as
a mark of the success according to the expenses. The often assumed hy-
pothesis that mainly troubled companies are seeking help by joining co-
operations while those with a good market performance do not require such
subsidy cannot be confirmed. It turns out that both variables do not have a sig-
nificant influence on the willingness to join R&D co-operations. This indicates
that R&D co-operations are set up by growing companies nearly as often as by
companies with stagnating or even diminishing numbers of employees. In addi-
tion to that, companies with temporary negative return on sales do participate
in such partnerships nearly as often as those in a prosperous market environ-
ment. Both indicators show that R&D co-operations are undertaken regardless
of the short-term market performance. This also leads to the conclusion that
R&D co-operations are planned for the long term. A pro cyclical behaviour can
not be assumed.