Innovationen und Dienstleistungen: Dimensionen der Außenwirtschaftstheorie und -politik / Innovation and Services: Dimensions in Theory and Policy of Foreign Trade

Theory and policy experienced a number of essential changes. Starting in 19th century from deliberations on factor endowments and trade, as a consequence of new and hardly envisioned trade patterns in the 20th century. While theory was rather quick in taking up these new developments, policy waited to react till the Uruguay Round. The article outlines these two dimensions of change and explains in short the impact of innovations and services on foreign trade – its theories, policies and new structure of the international transfers. Both elements are analysed at first separately and then by looking at their interaction. Concerning innovation the development of the theory of foreign trade is traced (traditional, product cycle, “new” theory of foreign trade and the “new” growth theory and foreign trade). The trade policy follows only slowly and cautiously these sometimes extremely sophisticated theories. The growth of the international transfer of services and its impact on the pattern of foreign trade is so remarkable that the wording “revolutionary” is even used. Therefore, it cannot be a surprise that policy agents have discovered this topic and apply all activities of foreign trade policies – liberalising, protection, log-rolling, North-South conflicts etc.