R&D cooperation in SMEs: the direct effect and the moderating role of human capital

We analyse the determinants of R&D cooperation for SMEs in Italy. We introduce in the literature human capital as one of the main determinants of R&D cooperation, concentrating on its moderating role, and specifically focusing on the high-tech sector. Using an extremely rich dataset, we improve the literature, building robust explanatory variables, and disaggregating the cooperation by partner. We find that human capital facilitates cooperation, but its moderating role depends on the type of disaggregation and/or the partner.