Using Belgian firm level data on R&D and productivity, this paper provides further evidence on the important role of knowledge in explaining performance at the firm level, by augmenting the classical productivity growth approach not only with own R&D expenditures, but also with R&D cooperation. Taking the view that co-operation in R&D gives access to external know-how, the paper provides a new view on the mechanisms through which R&D spillovers may impact firm's output growth. Given the small open character of the Belgian economy, we focus especially on international technology diffusion and the role of cooperation with partners abroad. Beyond own R&D, the analysis shows support for international R&D cooperation to significantly improve firm productivity growth and more in particular, international cooperation with customers, suppliers or other companies, which reflects more applied international R&D co-operative activities. We further explored the role of international co-operative agreements, and more particularly whether it is used as a mechanism to access externally available know- how. Our proxies for available external know-how which (foreign) cooperation would give access to, did not provide conclusive evidence on R&D cooperation as a channel of transfer for knowledge spillovers. Overall, international R&D co-operation significantly increases a firm's output growth. However, the exact mechanisms how this cooperation enhances firm performance need further investigation.
Download Info
To our knowledge, this item is not available for
download. To find whether it is available, there are three
options:
1. Check below under "Related research" whether another version of this item is available online.
2. Check on the provider's web page
whether it is in fact available.
3. Perform a search for a similarly titled item that would be
available.
Find related papers by JEL classification: O12 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development O19 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
Cited by: (explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)