Barriers to Innovations and Innovative Performance of Companies: A Study from Ecuador

This research aimed to examine the relationship between the barriers to the development of innovation and innovative performance. This is a quantitative, not experimental, cross-sectional research, and the National Survey of Innovation Activities of Ecuador is used. Bivariate Probit regression was used to process the data. The results show empirical evidence that Ecuadorian companies have a great number of barriers to innovation. The main barriers to product innovation and process innovation are as follows: lack of company funds, high costs of innovation, and lack of qualified personnel in the company and the country. In addition product innovation is affected by the lack of market information, and process innovation is affected by the lack of financing from external sources, lack of information on technology, and a market dominated by established companies. The research has theoretical implications because it contributes empirical evidence on the relationship between innovation barriers and innovative performance in developing countries where evidence is scarce. The research has practical implications because it serves as a basis for forming public policies. Business managers and administrators can improve innovative performance by minimizing the impact of the main barriers to innovation.