The innovation barriers to small and medium-sized enterprises affect their innovative process and influence their company development. In this empirical work, we analyze the cost, market, and knowledge barriers that impede or delay the development of innovative activities and projects in Ecuadorian SMEs. A logit estimation model uses fixed-effects panel data on a sample of 5,205 SMEs during the period from 2009–2014. The results show that small and young companies are more vulnerable to the perceived barriers of cost and knowledge. This is mainly due to high innovation costs and a lack of skilled staff that restricts organizational growth and market competitiveness.

This paper analyzes the relationship between firms’ innovation and growth measured by sales and labor productivity in Ecuador. The literature on this topic has focused mainly on developed countries. We apply panel data quantile regressions to analyze a sample of 99,872 private limited company and public limited company for the period 2000-2013. Quantile regression allows us to avoid conventional analysis through the study of the average impact for the average company, which can lead to the discovery of phenomena underlying relationships. The results show that firm innovation has a negative on productivity growth. In contrast, there is a positive relationship between innovation and sales growth for firms in some quantiles. These results lead us to establish a series of recommendations aimed at public policy decision-makers. In particular, the support of government entities is important ...