Researchers have mostly estimated the performance–innovation nexus as a one-way relationship at macro levels. However, the possibility of reverse causality has not yet been given the attention it deserves. In this study, we consider the adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) to innovate processes, products, marketing and organisations among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Western Downs region of Queensland, Australia. We employed a simultaneous equation model to capture the joint determination. The results indicate the existence of a feedback effect on the performance–innovation relationship. Specifically, the effect of innovation can be attributed to marketing and organisational innovation. The use of ICT strategies and the Internet for business purposes have a significant effect on the performance of SMEs. A change mindset is also strongly related to using the Internet to search for business opportunities, while mindset and usage have some effect on innovation, particularly when the performance is not endogenous. Finally, the agricultural sector is found to lag in performance and innovation relative to the non-agricultural sector. Previous models might have misspecified the performance–innovation relationship because the simultaneity bias was not accounted for; a situation that could mislead policy decisions. This study provides new empirical evidence on location-specific research for strategic interventions.

中文翻译：

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创新会刺激绩效吗？澳大利亚偏远地区中小企业案例

研究人员大多将绩效-创新关系估计为宏观层面的单向关系。然而，反向因果关系的可能性尚未得到应有的重视。在这项研究中，我们考虑采用信息和通信技术 (ICT) 来创新澳大利亚昆士兰州西部唐斯地区的中小企业 (SME) 的流程、产品、营销和组织。我们采用联立方程模型来捕获联合确定。结果表明，绩效-创新关系存在反馈效应。具体而言，创新的效果可以归因于营销和组织创新。将信息通信技术战略和互联网用于商业目的对中小企业的绩效有重大影响。改变思维方式也与使用互联网寻找商机密切相关，而思维方式和使用方式对创新有一定的影响，特别是当绩效不是内生的时。最后，与非农业部门相比，农业部门在绩效和创新方面落后。以前的模型可能错误地指定了绩效-创新关系，因为没有考虑同时性偏差；一种可能误导政策决定的情况。这项研究为战略干预的特定地点研究提供了新的经验证据。与非农业部门相比，农业部门在绩效和创新方面落后。以前的模型可能错误地指定了绩效-创新关系，因为没有考虑同时性偏差；一种可能误导政策决定的情况。这项研究为战略干预的特定地点研究提供了新的经验证据。与非农业部门相比，农业部门在绩效和创新方面落后。以前的模型可能错误地指定了绩效-创新关系，因为没有考虑同时性偏差；一种可能误导政策决定的情况。这项研究为战略干预的特定地点研究提供了新的经验证据。