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The rate and motives of the internationalisation of large firm R&D (1994–2005): Towards a turning point?

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  • Laurens, Patricia
  • Le Bas, Christian
  • Schoen, Antoine
  • Villard, Lionel
  • Larédo, Philippe

Abstract

This paper addresses the internationalisation of R&D of large multinational firms by analysing their patents from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. It highlights three major results. Firstly it does not reveal any significant increase of the global rate of R&D internationalisation, which remains at around 23%. This means that the national base remains prevalent in their technology production. Secondly it shows striking different regional trends: (i) a relative retraction of European firms that still remain more internationalised (30%) and have re-focused R&D in European countries, (ii) a continuing increase of the internationalisation of US firms (17%) and a very important loss of attractiveness of the US as a destination for R&D investments by non-US firms; and (iii) a rapid rise (but still limited) of Asian firm R&D internationalisation. Third, these movements did not promote, as anticipated, the role of technology-based motives (asset augmenting strategies) in the internationalisation of large firms R&D: Technology-based motives remain the most important of driver but the gap with market-based considerations has narrowed.

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  • Laurens, Patricia & Le Bas, Christian & Schoen, Antoine & Villard, Lionel & Larédo, Philippe, 2015. "The rate and motives of the internationalisation of large firm R&D (1994–2005): Towards a turning point?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 765-776.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:44:y:2015:i:3:p:765-776
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2014.11.001
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    4. Paul Welfens, 2015. "Innovation, inequality and a golden rule for growth in an economy with Cobb-Douglas function and an R&D sector," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 469-496, October.
    5. Patricia Laurens & Christian Le Bas & Stéphane Lhuillery & Antoine Schoen, 2017. "The determinants of cleaner energy innovations of the world’s largest firms: the impact of firm learning and knowledge capital," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 311-333, May.
    6. Dachs, Bernhard, 2017. "Internationalisation of R&D: A Review of Drivers, Impacts, and new Lines of Research," MPRA Paper 83367, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Heike Belitz & Anna Lejpras, 2021. "Globalisierung von Forschung und Entwicklung der weltweit forschungsstärksten Unternehmen [Globalisation of Research and Development of the World’s Top Corporate R&D Investors]," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 101(7), pages 521-528, July.
    8. Patricia Laurens & Lionel Villard & Antoine Schoen & Philippe Larédo, 2018. "The artificial patents in the PATSTAT database: How much do they matter when computing indicators of internationalisation based on worldwide priority patents?," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 114(1), pages 91-112, January.
    9. Patricia Laurens & Lionel Villard & Antoine Schoen & Philippe Larédo, 2018. "The artificial patents in the PATSTAT database: how much do they matter when computing indicators of internationalisation based on worldwide priority patents?," Post-Print hal-01671905, HAL.
    10. Patricia Laurens & Pierluigi Toma & Antoine Schoen & Cinzia Daraio & Philippe Larédo, 2022. "How does Internationalisation affect the productivity of R&D activities in large innovative firms? A conditional nonparametric investigation," Post-Print hal-03840316, HAL.
    11. Sara L. McGaughey & Pascalis Raimondos & Lisbeth Cour, 2020. "Foreign influence, control, and indirect ownership: Implications for productivity spillovers," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1391-1412, December.
    12. Tang, Chunhui & Tang, Yaojia & Su, Shengwei, 2019. "R&D internationalization, product diversification and international performance for emerging market enterprises: An empirical study on Chinese enterprises," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 529-539.
    13. Stefano Bresciani & Alberto Ferraris & Manlio Del Giudice, 2016. "R&D internationalization in asian developing countries: evidence from european multinationals," MERCATI & COMPETITIVIT?, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(3), pages 25-44.
    14. Anzolin, Guendalina & Andreoni, Antonio & Zanfei, Antonello, 2022. "What is driving robotisation in the automotive value chain? Empirical evidence on the role of FDIs and domestic capabilities in technology adoption," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    15. Ardito, Lorenzo & Ernst, Holger & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio, 2020. "The interplay between technology characteristics, R&D internationalisation, and new product introduction: Empirical evidence from the energy conservation sector," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 96.

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