Table 1
Summary of Companies in Study
Company Number of Employees Activity Observed Innovation
Number of 
Informants 
Number of 
Interviews
Futureplast
R&D (lighting industry) New production process (laser system for glass manufacturing) 
New product (plastic cable for light conduction)
5
7
Microalgae
R&D (biotechnology) New production process (industrial–scale photobioreactor)
5
Parma
130 
Safety boxes New product (cash-in cash-out safety box) 
4
5
Polti
600 
Small home appliances New product (vacuum cleaner with water-based filter)
5
6
Serigrafica Tosi
65 
Rolls for silk-screen printing New production process (roll-print technology) 
4
6
Petroltecnica
60 
Tank-cleaning services  New product (robot for cleaning oil tanks)
5
9