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Notes: Abstract This paper is based on the findings of a survey on technological innovation in the Italian industry. All Italian manufacturing firms were screened in the analysis and, at the end of a screening process, 8,220 of them, which had introduced relevant technological innovations over the period 1981–1985, filled out either a mail questionnaire or were covered through a personal interview. Data and preliminary comments on the following problem-areas are set in the paper: type of innovation introduced in the firm (product, process), impact of innovations on the firm's products and sales, cost of innovation, technological relevance of innovations introduced, impact of innovations on the utilization of input factors, factors linked to the introduction of innovation, performance of R & D. Data show that technological innovation is a complex aspect of company life; it relates to both products and production processes: in more than half of the cases firms introduced both product and process innovations, whereas only products or processes were introduced in about 20 per cent of cases, respectively. It is also apparent that the majority of innovations are new only for the firm, and that only a limited share are new for the sector or for the country. Looking at the techno-scientific “quality” of the innovations introduced, quite often innovations were classified as technical improvements or enhancements, and in a very limited number of cases they were considered as applications of a scientific breakthrough. The breakdown of the innovation costs shows that, on average, more than half of the cost is attributed to investment (machinery, equipment, etc) one fourth to engineering and design activity, one fifth to R & D and the remaining 5 per cent to marketing activities. The most important factor linked to the introduction of innovation appears to be the acquisition of plant and machinery. This confirms the result of previous analyses which show that the introduction of new technologies hinges upon new machinery and equipment, often the sole means for the acquisition of technology produced by other economic agents — a diffusion and adaptation process is occurring. R & D was mentioned in a limited number of cases. In the paper a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the R & D performed by the firm is reported. In particular, it is shown that the number of R & D performing manufacturing firms is more than double that which emerges from the annual survey on research and development activities carried out by the Italian Central Statistical Office.