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Absorptive Capacity, R&D Spillovers and Public Policy

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Author Info
Leahy, Dermot
Neary, J Peter

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Abstract

Empirical evidence strongly suggests that R&D increases a firm’s ‘absorptive capacity’ (its ability to absorb spillovers from other firms) as well as contributing directly to profitability. We explore the theoretical implications of this. We specify a general model of the absorptive capacity process and show that costly absorption both raises the effectiveness of own R&D and lowers the effective spillover coefficient. This weakens the case for encouraging research joint ventures, even if there is complete information sharing between its members. It also implies an additional strategic pay-off to policies that raise the level of extra-industry knowledge.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 4171.

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Date of creation: Jan 2004
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4171

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Related research
Keywords: absorptive capacity of R&D; competition policy; industrial policy; R&D spillovers; research joint ventures;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
O31 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Technological Change - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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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.:
  1. d'Aspremont, Claude & Jacquemin, Alexis, 1988. "Cooperative and Noncooperative R&D in Duopoly with Spillovers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 78(5), pages 1133-37, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Keller, Wolfgang, 1996. "Absorptive capacity: On the creation and acquisition of technology in development," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 199-227, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  3. Cassiman, Bruno & Perez-Castrillo, David & Veugelers, Reinhilde, 2002. "Endogenizing know-how flows through the nature of R&D investments," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 20(6), pages 775-799, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Cockburn, Iain M & Henderson, Rebecca M, 1998. "Absorptive Capacity, Coauthoring Behavior, and the Organization of Research in Drug Discovery," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 46(2), pages 157-82, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Audretsch, David B & Feldman, Maryann P, 1996. "R&D Spillovers and the Geography of Innovation and Production," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(3), pages 630-40, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Kamien, Morton I & Muller, Eitan & Zang, Israel, 1992. "Research Joint Ventures and R&D Cartels," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(5), pages 1293-306, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Griffith, Rachel & Redding, Stephen J & Van Reenen, John, 2000. "Mapping The Two Faces Of R&D: Productivity Growth In A Panel Of OECD Industries," CEPR Discussion Papers 2457, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Blomstrom, Magnus & Kokko, Ari, 1998. " Multinational Corporations and Spillovers," Journal of Economic Surveys, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 12(3), pages 247-77, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  11. Kenneth Arrow, 1962. "Economic Welfare and the Allocation of Resources for Invention," NBER Chapters, in: The Rate and Direction of Inventive Activity: Economic and Social Factors, pages 609-626 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!]
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  13. Motta, Massimo, 1996. "Research joint ventures in an international economy," Ricerche Economiche, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 293-315, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  14. Sourafel Girma, 2005. "Absorptive Capacity and Productivity Spillovers from FDI: A Threshold Regression Analysis," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 67(3), pages 281-306, 06. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  15. Leahy, Dermot & Neary, J Peter, 1995. "Public Policy Towards R&D in Oligopolistic Industries," CEPR Discussion Papers 1243, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  16. Spence, Michael, 1984. "Cost Reduction, Competition, and Industry Performance," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 52(1), pages 101-21, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  17. Michael L. Katz, 1986. "An Analysis of Cooperative Research and Development," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 17(4), pages 527-543, Winter.
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  21. Leahy, Dermot & Neary, J Peter, 1999. "R&D Spillovers and the Case for Industrial Policy in an Open Economy," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 51(1), pages 40-59, January.
    Other versions:
  22. Katsoulacos, Yannis & Ulph, David, 1998. "Endogenous Spillovers and the Performance of Research Joint Ventures," Journal of Industrial Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 46(3), pages 333-57, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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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.)

  1. Constantina Kottaridi & Marina Papanastassiou & Christos Pitelis & Dimitrios Thomakos, 2007. "The Multinational Corporation and the global sourcing of knowledge: Remodeling absorptive capacity," Working Papers 008, University of Peloponnese, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Jozef Konings, 1999. "The Effect of Direct Foreign Investment on Domestic Firms: Evidence from Firm Level Panel Data in Emerging Economies," LICOS Discussion Papers 8699, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, K.U.Leuven. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Rachel Griffith & Stephen Redding & John Van Reenen, 2001. "Measuring the Cost Effectiveness of an R&D Tax Credit for the UK," CEP Discussion Papers dp0509, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Jozef Konings, 2000. "The Effects of Foreign Direct Investment on Domestic Firms: Evidence from Firm Level Panel Data in Emerging Economies," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 344, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
  5. Massimiliano Tani, 2005. "Head-content or Headcount? Temporary Labour Movements as a Source of Growth," Economics Working Papers ECO2005/17, European University Institute. [Downloadable!]
  6. Tobias Schmidt, 2005. "Absorptive Capacity – One Size Fits All? A Firm-level Analysis of Absorptive Capacity for Different Kinds of Knowledge," Industrial Organization 0510010, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Jaakko Simonen, 2005. "The innovativeness of the Finnish high technology firms – The role of internal factors, cooperation, and the mobility of labour," ERSA conference papers ersa05p462, European Regional Science Association. [Downloadable!]
  8. Marco Da Rin & María Fabiana Penas, 2007. "The Effect of Venture Capital on Innovation Strategies," NBER Working Papers 13636, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Belderbos, Rene & Lykogianni, Elissavet & Veugelers, Reinhilde, 2005. "Strategic R&D Location by Multinational Firms: Spillovers, Technology Sourcing and Competition," CEPR Discussion Papers 5060, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Kinoshita, Yuko, 2001. "R&D and Technology Spillovers through FDI: Innovation and Absorptive Capacity," CEPR Discussion Papers 2775, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Ben Youssef, Slim & Zaccour, Georges, 2009. "Absorptive Capacity, R&D Spillovers, Emissions Taxes and R&D Subsidies," MPRA Paper 16984, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Aug 2009. [Downloadable!]
  12. Massimiliano Tani, 2006. "Head-content or Headcount? Short-term Skilled Labour Movements as a Source of Growth," IZA Discussion Papers 1934, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
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