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Why Doesn't Technology Flow from Rich to Poor Countries?

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  • Harold L. Cole
  • Jeremy Greenwood
  • Juan M. Sanchez

Abstract

What determines the technology that a country adopts? While many factors affect technological adoption, the efficiency of the country's financial system may also play a significant role. To address this question, a dynamic contract model is embedded into a general equilibrium setting with competitive intermediation. The ability of an intermediary to monitor and control the cash flows of a firm plays an important role in the technology adoption decision. Can such a theory help to explain the differences in total factor productivity and establishment-size distributions across India, Mexico, and the United States? A quantitative illustration suggests the answer is yes.

Suggested Citation

  • Harold L. Cole & Jeremy Greenwood & Juan M. Sanchez, 2015. "Why Doesn't Technology Flow from Rich to Poor Countries?," NBER Working Papers 20856, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:20856
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • E13 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Neoclassical
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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