Do firms rely on sources of information for organizational innovation?

Growing literature on knowledge and information notes the impact of sources of information on innovation processes, mostly by focusing on technological innovation. This article instead explores the uses firms make of internal and external sources of information for introducing organisational innovation practices. The exploration also considers whether such sources vary according to whether the firm operates in a manufacturing or services industry. Multivariate and standard probit model results, using Community Innovation Survey 2008 data, provide strong evidence of heterogeneity in the sources of information that firms use when they engage in organisational innovation. Not only do differences mark the sources of information for various types of organisational innovation, but the sources of information also vary according to the type of industry, despite a few similarities. These results have notable implications for research and practice, as well as for public policy related to innovation.