Knowledge Spillover Affecting the Innovative Performance

Companies invest in learning activities to improve their innovative efforts. These kinds of activities may be either internal or external. Knowledge flow among main actors is one of the external learning factors. Non-intentional knowledge flow among companies without any compensation or with compensation less than the real value of the knowledge is called “knowledge spillover” and in the case of companies located in a same area geographically, is believed to be the main stimulus of regional innovation and growth. Another form of knowledge flow may occur when money is paid in return for the transferred knowledge, which is called knowledge flow through market transactions. The knowledge spillover mechanisms are: labor mobility, informal interaction and spinoff companies. This paper aimed to analyze the effects of knowledge spillover on innovative performance of knowledge-based IT companies. The results from the gathered data denote that knowledge spillover has positive impacts on innovative performance of IT companies situated in science and technology parks in Tehran.