IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jknowl/v13y2022i1d10.1007_s13132-020-00718-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Inter- and Intra-firm Diffusion of Technology: the Example of Software, Hardware, and Network Communications Empirical Evidence for Tunisian Manufacturing Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Adel Ben Khalifa

    (University of Carthage)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key drivers of inter- and intra-firm diffusion of technology taking as an example three groups of ICT: Software, Hardware, and Network communications. This is done by estimating an encompassing model of diffusion, proposed by Battisti et al. (2009), integrating rank, stock, order, and epidemics effects, which is extended to include technology-specific obstacles and Government subsidies. Our study is based on a dataset collected through the industrial upgrading survey carried out in Tunisia in 2016. It is a cross-section data from 238 Tunisian manufacturing firms. Econometric results show that the drivers of inter- and intra-firm are not the same in case of all ICT groups. Likewise, the determinants of ICT differ from one technology to another. Finally, ICT specific costs are no longer an obstacle to technology diffusion, yet Government supports are an important factor in explaining ICT diffusion.

Suggested Citation

  • Adel Ben Khalifa, 2022. "Inter- and Intra-firm Diffusion of Technology: the Example of Software, Hardware, and Network Communications Empirical Evidence for Tunisian Manufacturing Firms," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(1), pages 236-263, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s13132-020-00718-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s13132-020-00718-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13132-020-00718-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13132-020-00718-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stefanie Haller & Iulia Siedschlag, 2011. "Determinants of ICT adoption: evidence from firm-level data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(26), pages 3775-3788.
    2. Hollenstein, Heinz, 2004. "Determinants of the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT): An empirical analysis based on firm-level data for the Swiss business sector," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 315-342, September.
    3. Erik S. Reinert (ed.), 2004. "Globalization, Economic Development and Inequality," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1570.
    4. Timothy F. Bresnahan & Erik Brynjolfsson & Lorin M. Hitt, 2002. "Information Technology, Workplace Organization, and the Demand for Skilled Labor: Firm-Level Evidence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(1), pages 339-376.
    5. Hollenstein, Heinz & Woerter, Martin, 2008. "Inter- and intra-firm diffusion of technology: The example of E-commerce: An analysis based on Swiss firm-level data," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 545-564, April.
    6. G. M.P. Swann, 2009. "The Economics of Innovation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13211.
    7. Frank M. Bass, 1969. "A New Product Growth for Model Consumer Durables," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(5), pages 215-227, January.
    8. Adel Ben Khalifa, 2018. "Government Supports and Technology Adoption: Evidence from Tunisia," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 43(4), pages 41-70, December.
    9. Adel Ben Youssef & Walid Hadhri & Hatem M’henni, 2010. "Intra-Firm Diffusion of Innovation: Evidence from Tunisian SME’s in Matters of Information and Communication Technologies," Working Papers 532, Economic Research Forum, revised 07 Jan 2010.
    10. Windrum, Paul & Berranger, Pascale de, 2003. "Factors affecting the adoption of intranets and extranets by SMEs: a UK study," Research Memorandum 026, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    11. Bertschek, Irene & Fryges, Helmut, 2002. "The Adoption of Business-to-Business E-Commerce: Empirical Evidence for German Companies," ZEW Discussion Papers 02-05, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    12. Juan M. Gallego & Luis H. Gutiérrez & Sang H. Lee, 2015. "A firm-level analysis of ICT adoption in an emerging economy: evidence from the Colombian manufacturing industries," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 24(1), pages 191-221.
    13. Stoneman, P, 1981. "Intra-Firm Diffusion, Bayesian Learning and Profitability," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 91(362), pages 375-388, June.
    14. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10093 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Battisti, Giuliana & Stoneman, Paul, 2003. "Inter- and intra-firm effects in the diffusion of new process technology," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(9), pages 1641-1655, October.
    16. Silvia Fabiani & Fabiano Schivardi & Sandro Trento, 2005. "ICT adoption in Italian manufacturing: firm-level evidence," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 14(2), pages 225-249, April.
    17. Claude Diebolt & Tapas Mishra & Mamata Parhi, 2016. "Dynamics of Distribution and Diffusion of New Technology," India Studies in Business and Economics, Springer, number 978-3-319-32744-0, September.
    18. Battisti, Giuliana & Canepa, Alessandra & Stoneman, Paul, 2009. "e-Business usage across and within firms in the UK: profitability, externalities and policy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 133-143, February.
    19. Freeman, Chris & Louca, Francisco, 2002. "As Time Goes By: From the Industrial Revolutions to the Information Revolution," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199251056.
    20. Giotopoulos, Ioannis & Kontolaimou, Alexandra & Korra, Efthymia & Tsakanikas, Aggelos, 2017. "What drives ICT adoption by SMEs? Evidence from a large-scale survey in Greece," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 60-69.
    21. Robert E. Litan & Alice M. Rivlin, 2001. "Projecting the Economic Impact of the Internet," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 313-317, May.
    22. Bocquet, Rachel & Brossard, Olivier, 2007. "The variety of ICT adopters in the intra-firm diffusion process: Theoretical arguments and empirical evidence," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 409-437, December.
    23. Geroski, P. A., 2000. "Models of technology diffusion," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(4-5), pages 603-625, April.
    24. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1995. "Complementarities and fit strategy, structure, and organizational change in manufacturing," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 179-208, April.
    25. Adel Ben Khalifa, 2016. "Determinants of information and communication technologies adoption by Tunisian firms," Journal of Innovation Economics, De Boeck Université, vol. 0(2), pages 151-177.
    26. Erik Brynjolfsson & Lorin M. Hitt, 2000. "Beyond Computation: Information Technology, Organizational Transformation and Business Performance," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 23-48, Fall.
    27. Jeffrey Rohlfs, 1974. "A Theory of Interdependent Demand for a Communications Service," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 5(1), pages 16-37, Spring.
    28. World Bank, 2010. "Innovation Policy : A Guide for Developing Countries," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2460, December.
    29. Cohen, Wesley M & Levinthal, Daniel A, 1989. "Innovation and Learning: The Two Faces of R&D," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 99(397), pages 569-596, September.
    30. Eve Caroli & John Van Reenen, 2001. "Skill-Biased Organizational Change? Evidence from A Panel of British and French Establishments," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(4), pages 1449-1492.
    31. Carlota Perez, 2004. "Technological Revolutions, Paradigm Shifts and Socio-institutional Change," Chapters, in: Erik S. Reinert (ed.), Globalization, Economic Development and Inequality, chapter 7, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    32. Parhi, Mamata, 2005. "Diffusion of New Technology in Indian Auto Component Industry: An Examination of the Determinants of Adoption," UNU-INTECH Discussion Paper Series 2005-08, United Nations University - INTECH.
    33. Paola Giuri & Salvatore Torrisi & Natalia Zinovyeva, 2008. "ICT, skills, and organizational change: evidence from Italian manufacturing firms," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 17(1), pages 29-64, February.
    34. Riccardo Lucchetti & Alessandro Sterlacchini, 2004. "The Adoption of ICT among SMEs: Evidence from an Italian Survey," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 151-168, September.
    35. Bocquet, Rachel & Brossard, Olivier & Sabatier, Mareva, 2007. "Complementarities in organizational design and the diffusion of information technologies: An empirical analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 367-386, April.
    36. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1990. "The Economics of Modern Manufacturing: Technology, Strategy, and Organization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(3), pages 511-528, June.
    37. Carlota Perez, 2009. "Technological revolutions and techno-economic paradigms," The Other Canon Foundation and Tallinn University of Technology Working Papers in Technology Governance and Economic Dynamics 20, TUT Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance.
    38. Melissa A. Schilling & Corey C. Phelps, 2007. "Interfirm Collaboration Networks: The Impact of Large-Scale Network Structure on Firm Innovation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(7), pages 1113-1126, July.
    39. Castellacci, Fulvio, 2006. "Innovation, diffusion and catching up in the fifth long wave," MPRA Paper 27521, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    40. World Bank, 2014. "The Unfinished Revolution : Bringing Opportunity, Good Jobs and Greater Wealth to All Tunisians [La Révolution Inachevée : Créer des opportunités, des emplois de qualité et de la richesse pour tous," World Bank Publications - Reports 20267, The World Bank Group.
    41. Sabourin, David & Baldwin, John R., 2001. "Impact de l'adoption des technologies de l'information et des communications de pointe sur la performance des entreprises du secteur de la fabrication au Canada," Direction des études analytiques : documents de recherche 2001174f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques.
    42. Danielle Galliano & Pascale Roux & Maryline Filippi, 2001. "Organisational and Spatial Determinants of ICT Adoption: The Case of French Industrial Firms," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 33(9), pages 1643-1663, September.
    43. Adel Ben Khalifa, 2016. "Inter- And Intra-Firm Diffusion Of Websites/Ebusiness In Tunisian Firms," Journal of Academic Research in Economics, Spiru Haret University, Faculty of Accounting and Financial Management Constanta, vol. 8(1 (March)), pages 38-61.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adel Ben Khalifa, 2019. "Direct and Complementary Effects of Investment in Knowledge-Based Economy on Innovation Performance in Tunisian Firms," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(2), pages 561-589, June.
    2. Juan M. Gallego & Luis H. Gutiérrez & Sang H. Lee, 2015. "A firm-level analysis of ICT adoption in an emerging economy: evidence from the Colombian manufacturing industries," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 24(1), pages 191-221.
    3. Adel Ben Khalifa, 2018. "Government Supports and Technology Adoption: Evidence from Tunisia," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 43(4), pages 41-70, December.
    4. BEN KHALIFA, Adel, 2017. "Territoire Appropriant Et Economie De La Connaissance Basee Sur Les Tic : Une Approche Eclectique [Appropriating Territory and ICT-Based Knowledge economy: An Eclectic Approach]," MPRA Paper 77535, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Fındık, Derya & Tansel, Aysit, 2013. "Resources on the stage: a firm level analysis of the ict adoption in Turkey," MPRA Paper 65956, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 05 Aug 2014.
    6. Ariel Herbert FAMBEU, 2016. "Déterminants De L’Adoption Des Tic Dans Un Pays En Développement : Une Analyse Économétrique Sur Les Entreprises Industrielles Au Cameroun," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 43, pages 159-186.
    7. Giotopoulos, Ioannis & Kontolaimou, Alexandra & Korra, Efthymia & Tsakanikas, Aggelos, 2017. "What drives ICT adoption by SMEs? Evidence from a large-scale survey in Greece," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 60-69.
    8. Giuliana Battisti & Heinz Hollenstein & Paul Stoneman & Martin Woerter, 2007. "Inter And Intra Firm Diffusion Of Ict In The United Kingdom (Uk) And Switzerland (Ch) An Internationally Comparative Study Based On Firm-Level Data," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(8), pages 669-687.
    9. Fındık, Derya & Tansel, Aysit, 2013. "Resources on the stage: a firm level analysis of the ict adoption in Turkey," MPRA Paper 65956, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 05 Aug 2014.
    10. Rachel BOCQUET (IREGE, IUT-University of Savoie) & Olivier BROSSARD (LEREPS-GRES), 2006. "Information Technologies (IT) Adoption and Localized Knowledge Diffusion: an Empirical Study," Cahiers du GRES (2002-2009) 2006-17, Groupement de Recherches Economiques et Sociales.
    11. Hollenstein, Heinz, 2004. "Determinants of the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT): An empirical analysis based on firm-level data for the Swiss business sector," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 315-342, September.
    12. Adel Ben Youssef & David Castillo Merino & Walid Hadhri, 2012. "Determinants of Intra-firm Diffusion Process of ICT: Theoretical Sources and Empirical Evidence from Catalan Firms," Post-Print halshs-00937176, HAL.
    13. Zand, Fardad & Van Beers, Cees & Van Leeuwen, George, 2011. "Information technology, organizational change and firm productivity: A panel study of complementarity effects and clustering patterns in Manufacturing and Services," MPRA Paper 46469, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Adel Ben Youssef & Leila Peltier- Ben Aoun, 2015. "nformation and Communication Technologies: Their Use and Short and Long Run Effects," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(3), pages 1550-1562.
    15. Adel Ben Youssef & Walid Hadhri & Hatem M’henni, 2010. "Intra-Firm Diffusion of Innovation: Evidence from Tunisian SME’s in Matters of Information and Communication Technologies," Working Papers 532, Economic Research Forum, revised 07 Jan 2010.
    16. Stoneman, Paul & Battisti, Giuliana, 2010. "The Diffusion of New Technology," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 733-760, Elsevier.
    17. Bocquet, Rachel & Brossard, Olivier, 2007. "The variety of ICT adopters in the intra-firm diffusion process: Theoretical arguments and empirical evidence," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 409-437, December.
    18. Heinz Hollenstein & Martin Woerter, 2004. "The Decision to Adopt Internet-based E-Commerce. An Empirical Analysis Based on Swiss Firm-level Data," KOF Working papers 04-89, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    19. Danielle Galliano & Luis Orozco, 2011. "The determinants of electronic traceability adoption: a firm‐level analysis of French agribusiness," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(3), pages 379-397, June.
    20. Delera, Michele & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Calza, Elisa & Lavopa, Alejandro, 2022. "Does value chain participation facilitate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in developing countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ICT diffusion; Inter-firm versus intra-firm diffusion; Software versus Hardware or Network communications;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jknowl:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s13132-020-00718-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.