IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/abaman/v16y2017i1d10.1057_s41291-016-0013-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

New technology development by Swedish MNEs in emerging markets: the role of co-location of R&D and production

Author

Listed:
  • Inge Ivarsson

    (Gothenburg University)

  • Claes Göran Alvstam

    (Gothenburg University)

Abstract

Firm-level data from Swedish manufacturing MNEs show that their local R&D units in emerging countries now mainly develop new technology in co-location with manufacturing plants. This complements findings that co-located units have previously mainly locally adapted parent companies’ existing technology. This implies that co-located R&D units of Western MNEs in emerging countries now play a more important strategic role than was previously assumed, especially in China, India, and other Asian countries with large and growing markets, specific demand characteristics, strong domestic producers, rapid industrial and technological change, and a capability to develop and produce complex products and systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Inge Ivarsson & Claes Göran Alvstam, 2017. "New technology development by Swedish MNEs in emerging markets: the role of co-location of R&D and production," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 16(1), pages 92-116, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:abaman:v:16:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1057_s41291-016-0013-z
    DOI: 10.1057/s41291-016-0013-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41291-016-0013-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41291-016-0013-z?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 search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hobday, Mike, 1998. "Product complexity, innovation and industrial organisation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(6), pages 689-710, February.
    2. Walter Kuemmerle, 1999. "The Drivers of Foreign Direct Investment into Research and Development: An Empirical Investigation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 30(1), pages 1-24, March.
    3. Simona Iammarino & Philip McCann, 2013. "Multinationals and Economic Geography," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 15181.
    4. Manolopoulos, Dimitris & Söderquist, Klas Eric & Pearce, Robert, 2011. "Coordinating decentralized research and development laboratories: A survey analysis," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 114-129, June.
    5. Hakanson, Lars & Nobel, Robert, 1993. "Foreign research and development in Swedish multinationals," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(5-6), pages 373-396, November.
    6. Masahiko Aoki, 2013. "Toward an Economic Model of the Japanese Firm," Chapters, in: Comparative Institutional Analysis, chapter 18, pages 315-341, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Roman Boutellier & Oliver Gassmann & Maximilian Zedtwitz, 2008. "Managing Global Innovation," Springer Books, Springer, edition 0, number 978-3-540-68952-2, June.
    8. Ivarsson, Inge & Jonsson, Thommy, 2003. "Local technological competence and asset-seeking FDI: an empirical study of manufacturing and wholesale affiliates in Sweden," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 369-386, June.
    9. Hobday, Mike, 2000. "The project-based organisation: an ideal form for managing complex products and systems?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7-8), pages 871-893, August.
    10. John H. Dunning & Sarianna M. Lundan, 2008. "Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy, Second Edition," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 3215.
    11. Ambos, Bjorn, 2005. "Foreign direct investment in industrial research and development: A study of German MNCs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 395-410, May.
    12. Hobday, Michael & Rush, Howard, 2007. "Upgrading the technological capabilities of foreign transnational subsidiaries in developing countries: The case of electronics in Thailand," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(9), pages 1335-1356, November.
    13. John H. Dunning & Sarianna M. Lundan, 2009. "The Internationalization of Corporate R&D: A Review of the Evidence and Some Policy Implications for Home Countries1," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 26(1‐2), pages 13-33, January.
    14. Fors, Gunnar & Svensson, Roger, 2002. "R&D and foreign sales in Swedish multinationals: a simultaneous relationship?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 95-107, January.
    15. Myriam Mariani, 2002. "Next to Production or to Technological Clusters? The Economics and Management of R&D Location," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 6(2), pages 131-152, May.
    16. Vahlne, Jan-Erik & Ivarsson, Inge & Johanson, Jan, 2011. "The tortuous road to globalization for Volvo's heavy truck business: Extending the scope of the Uppsala model," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, February.
    17. Granstrand, Ove, 1999. "Internationalization of corporate R&D: a study of Japanese and Swedish corporations1," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 275-302, March.
    18. Jan-Erik Vahlne & Inge Ivarsson, 2014. "The globalization of Swedish MNEs: Empirical evidence and theoretical explanations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 45(3), pages 227-247, April.
    19. Paul Nightingale & Tim Brady & Andrew Davies & Jeremy Hall, 2003. "Capacity utilization revisited: software, control and the growth of large technical systems," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 12(3), pages 477-517, June.
    20. Juan Alcácer & Mercedes Delgado, 2016. "Spatial Organization of Firms and Location Choices Through the Value Chain," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(11), pages 3213-3234, November.
    21. Karabag, Solmaz Filiz & Tuncay-Celikel, Asli & Berggren, Christian, 2011. "The Limits of R&D Internationalization and the Importance of Local Initiatives: Turkey as a Critical Case," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(8), pages 1347-1357, August.
    22. Yun-Chung Chen, 2007. "The Upgrading of Multinational Regional Innovation Networks in China," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 373-403, July.
    23. Kuemmerle, Walter, 1999. "Foreign direct investment in industrial research in the pharmaceutical and electronics industries--results from a survey of multinational firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 179-193, March.
    24. Mikko Ketokivi & Jyrki Ali‐Yrkkö, 2009. "Unbundling R&D and Manufacturing: Postindustrial Myth or Economic Reality?," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 26(1‐2), pages 35-54, January.
    25. von Zedtwitz, Maximilian & Gassmann, Oliver, 2002. "Market versus technology drive in R&D internationalization: four different patterns of managing research and development," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 569-588, May.
    26. Yifei Sun & Ke Wen, 2007. "Uncertainties, Imitative Behaviours and Foreign R&D Location: Explaining the Over-concentration of Foreign R&D in Beijing and Shanghai within China," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 405-424, July.
    27. Cantwell, John, 1995. "The Globalisation of Technology: What Remains of the Product Cycle Model?," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(1), pages 155-174, February.
    28. Kenney, Martin & Florida, Richard, 1994. "The organization and geography of Japanese R&D: results from a survey of Japanese electronics and biotechnology firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 23(3), pages 305-322, May.
    29. Juan Alcácer & Minyuan Zhao, 2012. "Local R&D Strategies and Multilocation Firms: The Role of Internal Linkages," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(4), pages 734-753, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lopez-Vega, Henry & Tell, Fredrik, 2021. "Technology strategy and MNE subsidiary upgrading in emerging markets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    2. Marina Anna Schmitz & Fabian Jintae Froese & Anna Katharina Bader, 2018. "Organizational cynicism in multinational corporations in China," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5), pages 620-637, October.
    3. Xuelian Piao & Jon Jungbien Moon, 2019. "When does knowledge similarity help foreign firms improve performance?," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(4), pages 301-323, September.
    4. Tom Broekel & Rune Dahl Fitjar & Silje Haus-Reve, 2021. "The roles of diversity, complexity, and relatedness in regional development – What does the occupational perspective add?," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2135, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Nov 2021.
    5. Sarah Franz, 2021. "The evolution of innovative activity in Asian emerging market subsidiaries of Western MNC’s: the case of Bühler India," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(1), pages 105-130, February.
    6. Si Zhang & Shasha Zhao & Ioannis Bournakis & Robert Pearce & Marina Papanastassiou, 2018. "Subsidiary roles as determinants of subsidiary technology sourcing: empirical evidence from China," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 35(2), pages 623-648, August.

    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. Marina Papanastassiou & Robert Pearce & Antonello Zanfei, 2020. "Changing perspectives on the internationalization of R&D and innovation by multinational enterprises: A review of the literature," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(4), pages 623-664, June.
    2. Amelia U. Santos-Paulino & Mariagrazia Squicciarini & Peilei Fan, 2008. "R&D (Re)location: A Bird's Eye (Re)view," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2008-100, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Patricia Laurens & Christian Le Bas & Antoine Schoen, 2019. "Worldwide IP coverage of patented inventions in large pharma firms: to what extent do the internationalisation of R&D and firm strategy matter?," Post-Print hal-01725229, HAL.
    4. 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.
    5. René Belderbos & Bart Leten & Shinya Suzuki, 2017. "Scientific research, firm heterogeneity, and foreign R&D locations of multinational firms," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 691-711, September.
    6. Tiwari, Rajnish & Herstatt, Cornelius, 2011. "Role of "Lead Market" factors in globalization of innovation: Emerging evidence from India & its implications," Working Papers 64, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    7. Davide Castellani & Katiuscia Lavoratori, 2020. "The lab and the plant: Offshore R&D and co-location with production activities," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(1), pages 121-137, February.
    8. Schmiele, Anja, 2009. "Drivers for international innovation activities in developed and emerging countries," ZEW Discussion Papers 09-064, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    9. 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.
    10. Nasirov, Shukhrat & Gokh, Irina & Filippaios, Fragkiskos, 2022. "Technological radicalness, R&D internationalization, and the moderating effect of intellectual property protection," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 215-227.
    11. Silvia Massini & Marcela Miozzo, 2010. "Outsourcing and Offshoring of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services: Implication for Innovation," Chapters, in: Faïz Gallouj & Faridah Djellal (ed.), The Handbook of Innovation and Services, chapter 20, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Niccolò Pisani & Joan Enric Ricart, 2018. "Offshoring Innovation to Emerging Countries: The Effects of IP Protection and Cultural Differences on Firms’ Decision to Augment Versus Exploit Home-Base-Knowledge," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 58(6), pages 871-909, December.
    13. Belderbos, Rene & Leten, Bart & Suzuki, Shinya, 2009. "Does Excellence in Academic Research Attract Foreign R&D?," MERIT Working Papers 2009-066, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    14. Manolopoulos, Dimitris & Söderquist, Klas Eric & Pearce, Robert, 2011. "Coordinating decentralized research and development laboratories: A survey analysis," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 114-129, June.
    15. Anja Schmiele, 2012. "Drivers for international innovation activities in developed and emerging countries," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 98-123, February.
    16. Shasha Zhao & Hui Tan & Marina Papanastassiou & Anne-Wil Harzing, 2020. "The internationalization of innovation towards the South: A historical case study of a global pharmaceutical corporation in China (1993–2017)," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 553-585, June.
    17. Ambos, Bjorn, 2005. "Foreign direct investment in industrial research and development: A study of German MNCs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 395-410, May.
    18. Thomson, Russell, 2013. "National scientific capacity and R&D offshoring," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 517-528.
    19. Isabel Tecu, 2013. "The Location of Industrial Innovation: Does Manufacturing Matter?," Working Papers 13-09, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    20. Alice Lam, 2003. "Organizational Learning in Multinationals: R&D Networks of Japanese and US MNEs in the UK," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(3), pages 673-703, May.

    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:pal:abaman:v:16:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1057_s41291-016-0013-z. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave.com .

    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.