IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v85y2025icp1357-1373.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impacts of international sanctions on sender countries’ innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Wang, Siqin
  • Wen, Jun
  • Zhao, Xinxin
  • Zhou, Xiaozhou

Abstract

Using data from 119 countries between 2000 and 2018, this study examines the impact of international sanctions on sender countries’ innovation. Our results show that countries, which impose international sanctions, experience a significant decline in domestic patent and trademark applications by 0.171 % and 0.064 %, respectively. We also show that, among different types of sanctions, trade sanction is the main driver of this negative impact. In addition, this negative effect is not observed in high GDP, high trade openness, and high innovation groups. Finally, we find that improving government efficiency, encouraging financial development, and improving the domestic technology level can mitigate these negative effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Siqin & Wen, Jun & Zhao, Xinxin & Zhou, Xiaozhou, 2025. "Impacts of international sanctions on sender countries’ innovation," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 1357-1373.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:85:y:2025:i:c:p:1357-1373
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2025.01.026
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592625000268
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2025.01.026?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Frankel, Jeffrey A., 1982. "The 1807–1809 Embargo Against Great Britain," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 42(2), pages 291-308, June.
    2. Mendonca, Sandro & Pereira, Tiago Santos & Godinho, Manuel Mira, 2004. "Trademarks as an indicator of innovation and industrial change," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(9), pages 1385-1404, November.
    3. Besedeš, Tibor & Goldbach, Stefan & Nitsch, Volker, 2021. "Cheap talk? Financial sanctions and non-financial firms," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    4. Desbordes, Rodolphe & Wei, Shang-Jin, 2017. "The effects of financial development on foreign direct investment," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 153-168.
    5. Wang, Quan-Jing & Feng, Gen-Fu & Chen, Yin E. & Wen, Jun & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2019. "The impacts of government ideology on innovation: What are the main implications?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(5), pages 1232-1247.
    6. Smeets, Maarten, 2018. "Can economic sanctions be effective?," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2018-03, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    7. Wang, Quan-Jing & Feng, Gen-Fu & Wang, Hai-Jie & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2021. "The impacts of democracy on innovation: Revisited evidence," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    8. Felbermayr, Gabriel & Kirilakha, Aleksandra & Syropoulos, Constantinos & Yalcin, Erdal & Yotov, Yoto V., 2020. "The global sanctions data base," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    9. Vujanović, Nina & Radošević, Slavo & Stojčić, Nebojša & Hisarciklilar, Mehtap & Hashi, Iraj, 2022. "FDI spillover effects on innovation activities of knowledge using and knowledge creating firms: Evidence from an emerging economy," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    10. Tibor Besedeš & Stefan Goldbach & Volker Nitsch, 2017. "You’re banned! The effect of sanctions on German cross-border financial flows," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 32(90), pages 263-318.
    11. Dahlander, Linus & Gann, David M., 2010. "How open is innovation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 699-709, July.
    12. Jerg Gutmann & Matthias Neuenkirch & Florian Neumeier, 2021. "Sanctioned to Death? The Impact of Economic Sanctions on Life Expectancy and its Gender Gap," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(1), pages 139-162, January.
    13. Kletzer, Kenneth & Bardhan, Pranab, 1987. "Credit markets and patterns of international trade," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(1-2), pages 57-70, October.
    14. Caruso Raul, 2003. "The Impact of International Economic Sanctions on Trade: An Empirical Analysis," Peace Economics, Peace Science, and Public Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 9(2), pages 1-36, April.
    15. Matthieu Crozet & Julian Hinz, 2020. "Friendly fire: the trade impact of the Russia sanctions and counter-sanctions," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 35(101), pages 97-146.
    16. Emmanuel Duguet, 2006. "Innovation height, spillovers and tfp growth at the firm level: Evidence from French manufacturing," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(4-5), pages 415-442.
    17. Akcomak, Semih & Ter Weel, Bas, 2007. "How do social capital and government support affect innovation and growth? Evidence from the EU regional support programmes," MERIT Working Papers 2007-009, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    18. Hirshleifer, David & Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Li, Dongmei, 2013. "Innovative efficiency and stock returns," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(3), pages 632-654.
    19. Bělín, Matěj & Hanousek, Jan, 2021. "Which sanctions matter? analysis of the EU/russian sanctions of 2014," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 244-257.
    20. Douglas A. Irwin, 2005. "The Welfare Cost of Autarky: Evidence from the Jeffersonian Trade Embargo, 1807–09," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 631-645, September.
    21. Dang, Jianwei & Motohashi, Kazuyuki, 2015. "Patent statistics: A good indicator for innovation in China? Patent subsidy program impacts on patent quality," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 137-155.
    22. Dursun Peksen & Byunghwan Son, 2015. "Economic coercion and currency crises in target countries," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 52(4), pages 448-462, July.
    23. Allen, Jeffrey S., 2021. "Do Targeted Trade Sanctions Against Chinese Technology Companies Affect US Firms? Evidence from an Event Study," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(3), pages 330-343, September.
    24. Jerg Gutmann & Matthias Neuenkirch & Florian Neumeier, 2020. "Precision-guided or blunt? The effects of US economic sanctions on human rights," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 185(1), pages 161-182, October.
    25. Andersson, Roland & Quigley, John M. & Wilhelmsson, Mats, 2009. "Urbanization, productivity, and innovation: Evidence from investment in higher education," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 2-15, July.
    26. Zoltan J. Acs & Luc Anselin & Attila Varga, 2008. "Patents and Innovation Counts as Measures of Regional Production of New Knowledge," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 11, pages 135-151, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    27. Otto Toivanen & Lotta Väänänen, 2016. "Education and Invention," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 98(2), pages 382-396, May.
    28. Chang, Chun-Ping & Wen, Jun & Zheng, Mingbo & Dong, Minyi & Hao, Yu, 2018. "Is higher government efficiency conducive to improving energy use efficiency? Evidence from OECD countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 65-77.
    29. Attia, Hana & Grauvogel, Julia & von Soest, Christian, 2020. "The termination of international sanctions: explaining target compliance and sender capitulation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    30. Gyedu, Samuel & Heng, Tang & Ntarmah, Albert Henry & He, Yingqi & Frimppong, Emmanuel, 2021. "The impact of innovation on economic growth among G7 and BRICS countries: A GMM style panel vector autoregressive approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    31. Holger Strulik, 2005. "The Role of Human Capital and Population Growth in R&D‐based Models of Economic Growth," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(1), pages 129-145, February.
    32. Wu, Ning & Liu, ZuanKuo, 2021. "Higher education development, technological innovation and industrial structure upgrade," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    33. Gary Clyde Hufbauer & Jeffrey J. Schott & Kimberly Ann Elliott, 2007. "Economic Sanctions Reconsidered, 3rd edition (hardcover)," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 4075, January.
    34. Giada Di Stefano & Alfonso Gambardella & Gianmario Verona, 2012. "Technology Push and Demand Pull Perspectives in Innovation Studies: Current Findings and Future Research Directions," Post-Print hal-00696607, HAL.
    35. Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Tian, Xuan & Xu, Yan, 2014. "Financial development and innovation: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 116-135.
    36. Di Stefano, Giada & Gambardella, Alfonso & Verona, Gianmario, 2012. "Technology push and demand pull perspectives in innovation studies: Current findings and future research directions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(8), pages 1283-1295.
    37. Kong, Dongmin & Zhang, Bohui & Zhang, Jian, 2022. "Higher education and corporate innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    38. Glen Biglaiser & David Lektzian, 2020. "The effects of economic sanctions on targeted countries’ stock markets," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(4), pages 526-550, July.
    39. Tomasz Kijek & Anna Matras-Bolibok, 2019. "The relationship between TFP and innovation performance: evidence from EU regions," Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 14(4), pages 695-709, December.
    40. Coccia, Mario, 2014. "Driving forces of technological change: The relation between population growth and technological innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 52-65.
    41. Neuenkirch, Matthias & Neumeier, Florian, 2015. "The impact of UN and US economic sanctions on GDP growth," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 40(PA), pages 110-125.
    42. Afesorgbor, Sylvanus Kwaku & Mahadevan, Renuka, 2016. "The Impact of Economic Sanctions on Income Inequality of Target States," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 1-11.
    43. Hoshdar, Fatemeh & Ghazinoory, Sepehr & Arasti, Mohammadreza & Fassihi, S. Farhang, 2017. "Technology planning system for the Iranian petroleum industry: Lessons learned from sanctions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 170-178.
    44. Feng, Gen-Fu & Zheng, Mingbo & Wen, Jun & Chang, Chun-Ping & Chen, Yin E., 2019. "The assessment of globalization on innovation in Chinese manufacturing firms," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 190-202.
    45. Calvo, Nuria & Fernández-López, Sara & Rodríguez-Gulías, María Jesús & Rodeiro-Pazos, David, 2022. "The effect of population size and technological collaboration on firms' innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    46. Francesco Giumelli, 2017. "The Redistributive Impact of Restrictive Measures on EU Members: Winners and Losers from Imposing Sanctions on Russia," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(5), pages 1062-1080, September.
    47. Wen, Jun & Wang, Siqin & Yang, Xiuyun & Zhou, Xiaozhou, 2023. "Impacts of epidemics on innovation: An empirical analysis," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    48. Maskus, Keith E. & Neumann, Rebecca & Seidel, Tobias, 2012. "How national and international financial development affect industrial R&D," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 72-83.
    49. Irina Dezhina, 2015. "Economic sanctions and science in Russia," Russian Economic Development, Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, issue 11, pages 73-76, November.
    50. Joshi, Sumit & Mahmud, Ahmed Saber, 2020. "Sanctions in networks," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    51. Jiawen Yang & Hossein Askari & John Forrer & Lili Zhu, 2009. "How Do US Economic Sanctions Affect EU's Trade with Target Countries?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 1223-1244, August.
    52. Amore, Mario Daniele & Schneider, Cédric & Žaldokas, Alminas, 2013. "Credit supply and corporate innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 835-855.
    53. Antonis Adam & Sofia Tsarsitalidou, 2019. "Do sanctions lead to a decline in civil liberties?," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 180(3), pages 191-215, September.
    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. Wen, Jun & Wang, Siqin & Yang, Xiuyun & Zhou, Xiaozhou, 2023. "Impacts of epidemics on innovation: An empirical analysis," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    2. Jerg Gutmann & Matthias Neuenkirch & Florian Neumeier, 2024. "Do China and Russia undermine Western sanctions? Evidence from DiD and event study estimation," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 132-160, February.
    3. Jun Wen & Xinxin Zhao & Chun‐Ping Chang, 2024. "The impact of international sanctions on innovation of target countries," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(1), pages 39-79, March.
    4. Gutmann, Jerg & Langer, Pascal & Neuenkirch, Matthias, 2024. "International sanctions and emigration," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    5. Jerg Gutmann & Matthias Neuenkirch & Florian Neumeier, 2024. "Political Economy of International Sanctions," Research Papers in Economics 2024-07, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    6. Gutmann, Jerg & Neuenkirch, Matthias & Neumeier, Florian, 2023. "The economic effects of international sanctions: An event study," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 1214-1231.
    7. Zhao, Xin-Xin & Zheng, Mingbo & Fu, Qiang, 2022. "How natural disasters affect energy innovation? The perspective of environmental sustainability," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    8. Apeti, Ablam Estel & Edoh, Eyah Denise, 2024. "Economic sanctions and sovereign debt default," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    9. Jun Wen & Xinxin Zhao & Quan-Jing Wang & Chun-Ping Chang, 2021. "The impact of international sanctions on energy security," Energy & Environment, , vol. 32(3), pages 458-480, May.
    10. Chen, Mo & Xue, Wei-Xian & Zhao, Xin-Xin & Chang, Chun-Ping & Liu, Xiaoxia, 2024. "The impact of economic sanctions on the COVID-19 pandemic," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 163-174.
    11. Firat Demir & Saleh S. Tabrizy, 2022. "Gendered effects of sanctions on manufacturing employment: Evidence from Iran," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 2040-2069, November.
    12. Ina C. Jäkel & Søren Østervig & Erdal Yalcin, 2024. "The effects of heterogeneous sanctions on exporting firms: Evidence from Denmark," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 161-189, February.
    13. Devasmita Jena & C. Akash & Prachi Gupta, 2024. "Deflecting economic sanctions: do trade and political alliances matter?," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 543-567, July.
    14. Vigninou Gammadigbe, 2025. "Back to Sender: Sanctions’ Effects on Bilateral Trade with Third-party Countries," Working Papers 202508, Center for Global Policy Analysis, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
    15. Tristan Kohl & Marcel van den Berg & Loe Franssen, 2024. "Going Dutch? Firm exports and FDI in the wake of the 2014 EU‐Russia sanctions," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 190-222, February.
    16. Chen, Yin E. & Fu, Qiang & Zhao, Xinxin & Yuan, Xuemei & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2019. "International sanctions’ impact on energy efficiency in target states," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 21-34.
    17. Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor & Lukas Kornher & Fabio G. Santeramo, 2025. "The Impacts of Economic Sanctions on Food (Prices) Security: Evidence From Targeted Countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(8), pages 1942-1956, August.
    18. Wen, Jun & Zhao, Xin-Xin & Fu, Qiang & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2023. "The impact of extreme weather events on green innovation: Which ones bring to the most harm?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    19. Nguyen, Trung Thanh & Do, Manh Hung, 2021. "Impact of economic sanctions and counter-sanctions on the Russian Federation’s trade," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 267-278.
    20. Teemu Makkonen & Timo Mitze, 2021. "Geo-political conflicts, economic sanctions and international knowledge flows," Papers 2112.00564, arXiv.org.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • F51 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Conflicts; Negotiations; Sanctions
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

    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:eee:ecanpo:v:85:y:2025:i:c:p:1357-1373. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    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.