Innovation Orientation: an investigation of Italian SMEs producing building materials

In the last decades, the attention of scholars to innovation orientation has grown considerably. Despite this, a shared definition and a common view regarding this concept are still missing. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on innovation orientation (IO). On the basis of relevant literature, we investigate IO with specific reference to Italian small and medium enterprises producing building materials. Following the Benzécri’s data analysis approach, characterised by applying in sequence multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis, we identify factors which best describe the phenomenon and define a typology of innovation orientations. The paper has important implications for both researchers and practitioners. It can contribute to addressing further research, highlighting the most significant indicators and dimensions of IO. It can also be helpful to practitioners, in order to understand which aspects to emphasise, with the objective of increasing the IO of the firm.