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Technology transfer through imports

Author

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  • Ram C. Acharya
  • Wolfgang Keller

Abstract

We study international technology transfer through R&D spillovers in sixteen countries’ manufacturing industries since the early 1970s. The analysis shows that the productivity impact of international technology transfer often exceeds that of domestic technological change, more so in high‐technology industries. Moreover, technology transfer is found to be strongly varying across country‐pairs and tends to decline in geographic distance, pointing to goods trade as the transfer channel. We directly evaluate this hypothesis, and results suggest that trade is crucial for technology transfer from Germany, France, and the UK, while for the US, Japan, and Canada non‐trade channels are more important. Les auteurs étudient le transfert international de technologie à travers les effets de retombée de la R&D dans les industries manufacturières de seize pays depuis le début des années 1970. L’analyse montre que l’impact sur la productivité du transfert international de technologie excède souvent celui du changement technologique domestique, et c’est encore plus net dans les industries de haute technologie. De plus le transfert de technologie varie fortement entre paires de pays et tend à décliner à proportion que la distance géographique s’accroît, indiquant que le commerce de biens est le canal de transfert. Les auteurs évaluent cette hypothèse et les résultats suggèrent que ce commerce est crucial pour le transfert de technologie en provenance de l’Allemagne, la France et le Royaume‐Uni, alors que pour les États‐Unis, le Japon et le Canada les canaux non‐commerciaux sont plus importants.

Suggested Citation

  • Ram C. Acharya & Wolfgang Keller, 2009. "Technology transfer through imports," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(4), pages 1411-1448, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:42:y:2009:i:4:p:1411-1448
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5982.2009.01550.x
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F2 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

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