Irish firms with international trade links are more likely to invest in innovation; have a higher probability of adopting new technologies; and are, in general, more productive than firms serving only the domestic market, according to new research. A study carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) found foreign-owned firms had significantly higher innovation expenditure per employee compared to firms that served only the home market.
Image: Research was based on data from Community Innovation Survey data over the period between 2004 and 2008. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
