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To innovate or to transfer?

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  • Aykut Lenger
  • Erol Taymaz

Abstract

FDI has been considered by many development economists as an important channel for transfer of technology to developing countries. It is suggested that modern, advanced technologies introduced by multinational firms can diffuse to domestic firms through spillovers. In this paper, we study innovation and technology transfer activities of domestic and foreign firms in Turkish manufacturing industries, and the impact of horizontal, vertical and labor spillovers on these activities. Our analysis shows that foreign firms are more innovative than their domestic counterparts, and transfer technology from abroad (mostly from their parent companies). Horizontal spillovers from foreign firms seem to be insignificant. The effects of foreign firms on technological activities of other firms in vertically related industries are ambiguous. High-tech suppliers tend to have a high rate of innovation when the share of foreign users is high, but the opposite is true for users: high-tech users supplied mainly by foreign firms tend to have a lower rate of innovation. Labor turnover is found to be the main channel of spillovers. Our findings reiterate the importance of tacitness of knowledge, and confirm that technology cannot easily be transferred through passive mechanisms.
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Suggested Citation

  • Aykut Lenger & Erol Taymaz, 2006. "To innovate or to transfer?," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 137-153, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:joevec:v:16:y:2006:i:1:p:137-153
    DOI: 10.1007/s00191-005-0002-4
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    1. Borensztein, E. & De Gregorio, J. & Lee, J-W., 1998. "How does foreign direct investment affect economic growth?1," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 115-135, June.
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    4. Noorbakhsh, Farhad & Paloni, Alberto & Youssef, Ali, 2001. "Human Capital and FDI Inflows to Developing Countries: New Empirical Evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 29(9), pages 1593-1610, September.
    5. Keith Smith, "undated". "Interactions in knowledge systems: Foundations, policy implications and empirical methods," STEP Report series 199410, The STEP Group, Studies in technology, innovation and economic policy.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Ferragina & Fernanda Mazzotta, 2018. "Firm Employment Resilience and FDI: Evidence from Italy," L'industria, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 4, pages 523-556.
    2. Muhammed BENLI, 2016. "FDI and export spillovers using Heckman’s two step approach: Evidence from Turkish manufacturing data," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(4(609), W), pages 315-342, Winter.
    3. Ahmet Faruk Aysan & Yavuz Selim Hacihasanoglu, 2007. "Investigation on the Determinants of Turkish Export-Boom in 2000s," Working Papers 2007/19, Bogazici University, Department of Economics.
    4. Wu, Jianxian & Nie, Xin & Wang, Han & Li, Weijuan, 2023. "Eco-industrial parks and green technological progress: Evidence from Chinese cities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    5. Meschi, Elena & Taymaz, Erol & Vivarelli, Marco, 2011. "Trade, technology and skills: Evidence from Turkish microdata," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(S1), pages 60-70.
    6. Erol Taymaz & Yeşim Üçdoğruk, 2009. "Overcoming the double hurdles to investing in technology," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 109-128, June.
    7. Muhammed BENLI, 2016. "Productivity spillovers from FDI in Turkey: Evidence from quantile regressions," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(3(608), A), pages 177-196, Autumn.
    8. Yılmaz Kılıç aslan & Erol Taymaz, 2009. "Labor market institutions and industrial performance: an evolutionary study," Springer Books, in: Uwe Cantner & Jean-Luc Gaffard & Lionel Nesta (ed.), Schumpeterian Perspectives on Innovation, Competition and Growth, pages 207-222, Springer.
    9. Başak Dalgıç & Burcu Fazlıoğlu, 2021. "Innovation and firm growth: Turkish manufacturing and services SMEs," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(3), pages 395-419, September.
    10. Özler, Sule & Taymaz, Erol & YIlmaz, Kamil, 2009. "History Matters for the Export Decision: Plant-Level Evidence from Turkish Manufacturing Industry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 479-488, February.
    11. Sönmez, Alper & Pamukçu, Mehmet Teoman, 2011. "Türkiye Otomotiv Sektöründe Çokuluslu Şirketler Aracılığıyla Ana Sanayiden Yan Sanayiye Yapılan Bilgi ve Teknoloji Transferinin Analizi [Analysis of Knowledge and Technology Transfer by Multination," MPRA Paper 39506, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Elisa Giuliani & Chiara Macchi, 2014. "Multinational corporations’ economic and human rights impacts on developing countries: a review and research agenda," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 38(2), pages 479-517.
    13. Alper Sönmez & M. Teoman Pamukçu, 2011. "Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Spillovers in the Turkish Manufacturing Industry," STPS Working Papers 1103, STPS - Science and Technology Policy Studies Center, Middle East Technical University, revised Mar 2011.
    14. Muhammed BENLI, 2016. "FDI and export spillovers using Heckman’s two step approach: Evidence from Turkish manufacturing data," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(4(609), W), pages 315-342, Winter.
    15. Hulya Ulku & Mehmet Pamukcu, 2015. "The impact of R&D and knowledge diffusion on the productivity of manufacturing firms in Turkey," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 79-95, August.
    16. Muhammed BENLI, 2016. "Productivity spillovers from FDI in Turkey: Evidence from quantile regressions," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania - AGER, vol. 0(3(608), A), pages 177-196, Autumn.
    17. Selin Sayek & Seda Köymen, 2009. "The Role of Human Capital in Productivity Spillovers from FDI: An Empirical Analysis for Turkish Manufacturing Firms," 2009 Meeting Papers 919, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    18. Anna Ferragina & Fernanda Mazzotta, 2014. "FDI spillovers on firm survival in Italy: absorptive capacity matters!," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 39(6), pages 859-897, December.
    19. Erol Taymaz & Ebru Voyvoda & Kamil Yilmaz, 2010. "Global Links and Local Bonds: The Role of Ownership and Size in Productivity Growth," Koç University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum Working Papers 1020, Koc University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum.
    20. FERRAGINA, Anna Maria, 2013. "The Impact of FDI on Firm Survival and Employment: A Comparative Analysis for Turkey and Italy," CELPE Discussion Papers 127, CELPE - CEnter for Labor and Political Economics, University of Salerno, Italy.
    21. Erol Taymaz & Şule Özler, 2007. "Foreign Ownership, Competition, and Survival Dynamics," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 31(1), pages 23-42, August.
    22. Timo Kleiner‐Schäfer & Ingo Liefner, 2021. "Innovation success in an emerging economy: A comparison of R&D‐oriented companies in Turkey," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(2), pages 963-989, June.
    23. Sanchez Martin, Miguel Eduardo & Escribano Frances, Gonzalo & de Arce Borda, Rafael, 2014. "How regional integration and transnational energy networks have boosted FDI in Turkey (and may cease to do so): a case study: how geo-political alliances and regional networks matter," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6970, The World Bank.
    24. Taymaz, Erol & Yilmaz, Kamil, 2008. "Foreign Direct Investment and Productivity Spillovers: Identifying Linkages through Product-based Measures," MPRA Paper 66243, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2009.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    FDI; Innovation; Technology transfer; Spillovers; Productivity; O14; O33; O31; F23;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

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