The use of internal and external sources of information to create technological innovation in companies is a crucial factor to the competitiveness of the any nation’s economy. This paper analyses the importance of external and internal sources of information to innovation practices, by using Technological Industrial Innovation Research - Pintec 2000 from IBGE- that investigated the technological innovation activities in about seventy thousand brazilian manufactures. Companies were told to evaluate the use and importance of several types of sources of information. R&D Departments and Universities are considered less important than information brought by Market agents. The data showed also that the importance and diversity of sources of information used - including R&D and Universities- depends on the industry competitiveness, yielding important impact on Technological Innovation rates.
Information sources; Industrial research technological innovation; Technological innovation; Research and development
