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Overseas R&D Activities And Home Productivity Growth: Evidence From Japanese Firm‐Level Data

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  • YASUYUKI TODO
  • SATOSHI SHIMIZUTANI

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of overseas subsidiaries' R&D activities on the productivity growth of parent firms using firm‐level data for Japanese multinational enterprises. Based on survey responses, we classify each overseas subsidiary's R&D as either ‘innovative R&D,’ which we hypothesize is likely to lead to the acquisition of foreign knowledge, or ‘adaptive R&D,’ which is more likely to lead to adaptation to local conditions. We find that overseas innovative R&D raises the parent firm's productivity growth, while adaptive R&D has no such effect. In addition, overseas innovative R&D does not improve the rate of return on home R&D.

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  • Yasuyuki Todo & Satoshi Shimizutani, 2008. "Overseas R&D Activities And Home Productivity Growth: Evidence From Japanese Firm‐Level Data," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 752-777, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:jindec:v:56:y:2008:i:4:p:752-777
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6451.2008.00363.x
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    Cited by:

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    2. YAMASHITA Nobuaki & YAMAUCHI Isamu, 2019. "Effects of Offshore Production and R&D on Domestic Innovation Activities," Discussion papers 19068, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    3. Spyros Arvanitis & Heinz Hollenstein, 2010. "How Do Different Motives for R&D Investment in Foreign Locations Affect Domestic Firm Performance?," KOF Working papers 10-258, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    4. René Belderbos & Boris Lokshin & Bert Sadowski, 2015. "The returns to foreign R&D," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(4), pages 491-504, May.
    5. Ito, Keiko & Ikeuchi, Kenta & Daiko, Taro, 2021. "Global knowledge flow and Japanese multinational firms’ offshore R&D allocation and innovation," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    6. Chen, Jong-Rong & Kan, Kamhon & Tung, I-Hsuan, 2016. "Scientific linkages and firm productivity: Panel data evidence from Taiwanese electronics firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(7), pages 1449-1459.
    7. HOSONO Kaoru & TAKIZAWA Miho & YAMANOUCHI Kenta, 2022. "Foreign Direct Investment and Markups," Discussion papers 22009, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    8. Yamashita, Nobuaki & Fukao, Kyoji, 2010. "Expansion abroad and jobs at home: Evidence from Japanese multinational enterprises," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 88-97, March.
    9. Zhai, Zhe & Ghosal, Vivek, 2022. "Internationalization of innovation and firm performance in the pharmaceutical industry," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 882-905.
    10. HOSONO Kaoru & MIYAKAWA Daisuke & TAKIZAWA Miho, 2017. "Do Overseas Subsidiaries Benefit from Parent Firms' Intangibles?," Discussion papers 17073, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    11. Xu, Chen & Xiong, Yan & Sun, Yuanxin & Liu, Yipeng, 2021. "Genetic distance, international experience and the performance of cross-border R&D for EMNEs," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(2).
    12. Shimizutani, Satoshi & Todo, Yasuyuki, 2008. "What determines overseas R&D activities? The case of Japanese multinational firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 530-544, April.
    13. Todo, Yasuyuki & Shimizutani, Satoshi, 2009. "R&D intensity for innovative and adaptive purposes in overseas subsidiaries: Evidence from Japanese multinational enterprises," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 31-45, January.
    14. EFI - Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (ed.), 2013. "Research, innovation and technological performance in Germany - EFI Report 2013," Reports on Research, Innovation and Technological Performance in Germany, Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation (EFI) - Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation, Berlin, volume 127, number 2013e.
    15. Kuang-Chung Hsu & Yungho Weng, 2018. "Detecting which firm-specific characteristics impact market-oriented R&D," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 55(4), pages 1695-1715, December.
    16. Nobuaki Yamashita, 2010. "International Fragmentation of Production," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13615.
    17. René Belderbos & Boris Lokshin & Federico Michiel, 2021. "R&D and Foreign Subsidiary Performance at or Below the Technology Frontier," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 61(6), pages 745-767, December.
    18. Lorena D’Agostino, 2015. "The neglected effects of R&D captive offshoring in emerging countries on the creation of knowledge at home," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(1), pages 61-91, March.
    19. Jingjing Li & Gang Liu & Zihan Ma, 2021. "RD internationalization, domestic technology alliance, and innovation in emerging market," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-35, June.
    20. Yamashita, Nobuaki & Yamauchi, Isamu, 2019. "The effects of offshore production on onshore innovation: Evidence from Japanese multinationals," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    21. Lai, Yung-Lung & Lin, Feng-Jyh & Lin, Yi-Hsin, 2015. "Factors affecting firm's R&D investment decisions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 840-844.
    22. Martin Berger & Heinz Hollenstein, 2012. "Determinants of equity-based and co-operative foreign R&D and impact on the parent firm's performance," KOF Working papers 12-305, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    23. Hertenstein, Peter & Williamson, Peter J., 2018. "The role of suppliers in enabling differing innovation strategies of competing multinationals from emerging and advanced economies: German and Chinese automotive firms compared," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 70, pages 46-58.
    24. Spyros Arvanitis & Heinz Hollenstein, 2010. "How Do Different Motives for R&D Investment in Foreign Locations Affect Domestic Firm Performance? An Analysis Based on Swiss Panel Micro Data," WIFO Working Papers 375, WIFO.
    25. TODO Yasuyuki, 2022. "Resilient and Innovative Supply Chains: Evidence-based policy and managerial implications," Policy Discussion Papers 22024, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

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