Managing Innovation in Firms

13  October 2026    5:45 pm CEST

Jose P. Vasquez (The London School of Economics and Political Science) presents his research in the Vienna International Economics Seminar (VIES) series

In cooperation with CEU, FIW, Universität Wien, WIFO, WIIW and WU.

Venue

wiiw, Seminar Room Souterrain
Rahlgasse 3
1060 Vienna

Registration

Description

Event Time: 5:45 pm – 7:15 pm 

Most innovation occurs inside firms, yet little is known about the organizational forces that shape it. We study the role of managers in within-firm innovation using uniquely rich administrative data from a global manufacturing firm that tracks workers’ ideas from invention to patenting and commercialization. Exploiting quasi-random manager switches across teams, we show that managers with hands-on invention experience substantially increase both the quantity and quality of workers’ innovative output. Within four years of the switch, moving from the average manager, who has no experience, to a highly-experienced manager approximately doubles workers’ production of patented inventions. We also find positive effects on patent citations and commercialized inventions, showing that these effects extend beyond patent counts to also reflect technological impact and economic value. Our evidence suggests that managers raise the innovation capability of incumbent workers. Close collaboration transmits know-how, especially in areas farther from workers' expertise, after which workers become more able to invent independently. We also show that experienced managers foster a work environment more conducive to experimentation and idea development.

Speaker 

Jose P. Vasquez is an Assistant Professor of Managerial Economics and Strategy. Dr. Vasquez’s main areas of expertise are international trade, labour economics, and development economics. His work examines how globalisation shapes worker and firm outcomes and influences broader economic development goals. 

Registration

Participants are requested to register in advance via our website. 

Additionally, we are pleased to offer participants the opportunity to meet personally with our speaker, Jose P. Vasquez. A dedicated room at wiiw has been reserved for individual 30-minute meeting slots. In addition to individual meetings, you are also welcome to join us for lunch or dinner.

Schedule & Available Slots:

  • 12:00 – 13:30: Lunch

  • 13:30 – 17:00: Individual 30-min meeting slots

    (Available slots: 13:30–14:00 | 14:00–14:30 | 14:30–15:00 | 15:30–16:00 | 16:00–16:30 | 16:30–17:00)

  • 17:45 – 19:15: Presentation

  • 19:30 – 21:00: Dinner

If you would like to register for a meeting slot or join us for lunch/dinner, please contact maier@wiiw.ac.at to coordinate.

The VIES seminar is dedicated to frontier research in international economics and features presentations by renowned international scholars.

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