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Innovation diffusion, general purpose technologies and economic growth

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  • Andergassen, Rainer
  • Nardini, Franco
  • Ricottilli, Massimo

Abstract

This paper investigates the mechanics through which novel technological principles are developed and diffused throughout an economy consisting of a technologically heterogeneous ensemble of firms. In this model entrepreneurs invest in the discovery and in the diffusion of a technological principle. We argue that if the technological distance between goods is sufficiently large, then the economy is trapped in a no-growth equilibrium where innovations remain isolated events, while if it is sufficiently short, then innovations eventually percolate throughout the whole economy, leading to the emergence of general purpose technologies and sustained long run growth.

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  • Andergassen, Rainer & Nardini, Franco & Ricottilli, Massimo, 2017. "Innovation diffusion, general purpose technologies and economic growth," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 72-80.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:streco:v:40:y:2017:i:c:p:72-80
    DOI: 10.1016/j.strueco.2016.12.003
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    2. Reinhold Kosfeld & Timo Mitze, 2023. "Research and development intensive clusters and regional competitiveness," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 885-911, December.
    3. O. S. Sukharev & E. N. Voronchikhina, 2020. "Structural growth policy in Russia: Resources, technology-intensity, risk, and industrialisation," Journal of New Economy, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 21(1), pages 29-52, March.
    4. Ardito, Lorenzo & Petruzzelli, Antonio Messeni & Ghisetti, Claudia, 2019. "The impact of public research on the technological development of industry in the green energy field," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 25-35.
    5. Appio, Francesco Paolo & Martini, Antonella & Fantoni, Gualtiero, 2017. "The light and shade of knowledge recombination: Insights from a general-purpose technology," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 154-165.
    6. Rudra P. Pradhan & Mak B. Arvin & Mahendhiran Nair & Sara E. Bennett & John H. Hall, 2019. "The information revolution, innovation diffusion and economic growth: an examination of causal links in European countries," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 1529-1563, May.
    7. Zhou, Xiaoxiao & Cai, Ziming & Tan, Kim Hua & Zhang, Linling & Du, Juntao & Song, Malin, 2021. "Technological innovation and structural change for economic development in China as an emerging market," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    8. Xiaodong Li & Li Huang & Ai Ren & Qi Li & Xuejin Zeng, 2022. "The Effect of Production Structure Roundaboutness on the Innovation Capability of High-Tech Enterprises—The Mediating Role of Technology Absorption Path," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-14, April.
    9. Oleg S. SUKHAREV, 2019. "Managing the technological development structure: Risk and “interest portfolio”," Upravlenets, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 10(1), pages 2-15, March.
    10. O. Sukharev S. & О. Сухарев С., 2019. "Некоторые императивы экономического лидерства России: развитие науки // Some Imperatives of the Russian Economic Leadership: The Development of Science," Экономика. Налоги. Право // Economics, taxes & law, ФГОБУ "Финансовый университет при Правительстве Российской Федерации" // Financial University under The Government of Russian Federation, vol. 12(3), pages 25-36.
    11. Fernández, Ana María & Ferrándiz, Esther & Medina, Jennifer, 2022. "The diffusion of energy technologies. Evidence from renewable, fossil, and nuclear energy patents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    12. Chuanyi Wang & Jiale Yang & Zhe Cheng & Chaoqun Ni, 2019. "Postgraduate Education of Board Members and R&D Investment—Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-17, November.
    13. Guo, Jianfeng & Pan, Jiaofeng & Guo, Jianxin & Gu, Fu & Kuusisto, Jari, 2019. "Measurement framework for assessing disruptive innovations," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 250-265.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; Innovation diffusion; Branching processes; General purpose technologies; Economic growth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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