Tracing technological change over long periods in Germany in chemicals using patent statistics.
Iciar Dominguez Lacasa, Hariolf Grupp, U. Schmoch
Scientometrics,
No. 2,
2003
Abstract
This contribution deepens the feasibility issues of building state-of-the-art patent indicators with historical patent documents available in electronic form from the German Patent Office since the introduction of the Patent Law for the German Empire in 1877. The paper is divided into two parts: a methodological discussion and a case study on the chemical sector in Germany. The development of the technology sector defined matches remarkably well with stylised facts that institutional analysis in the chemical sector have provided us with so far. Moreover, the possibility of varying the level of aggregation in the analysis of technological areas discloses empirical evidence for the path-dependent development in the chemical sector after the advent of the organic chemistry and its application in the chemical synthesis of dye stuffs. Our findings enhance institutional and historical contributions about technological change in the chemical sector and suggest new research questions for innovation studies.
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EU Eastern Enlargement and Structural Change: Specialization Patterns in Accession Countries and Economic Dynamics in the Single Market
Albrecht Kauffmann, P. J. J. Welfens, A. Jungmittag, C. Schumann
Diskussionsbeiträge des Europäischen Instituts für Internationale Wirtschaftsbeziehungen (EIIW), Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Nr. 106,
No. 106,
2003
Abstract
This paper analyses key issues of structural change and specialization patterns in the economies of an enlarged European Union. In all transition countries we observe a shift from the agricultural and industrial sector towards the service sector in terms of employment and productivity; however, in some countries a reindustrialisation drives is observed in a late transition stage. While some countries namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Estonia and Slovenia, have improved their productivity especially in medium-technology-intensive industries and may advance on the technological ladder, others remain unchanged and seem to get locked in labour-intensive industrial sectors. In the context of EU-enlargement, we expect trade creation – going along with a rise of intra-industry trade – and higher FDI-activities. Countries will have to adjust along the logic of comparative advantage, however, technological upgrading and human capital formation are fields in which government can stimulate the direction of comparative advantage. According to the Gerschenkron-hypothesis the accession countries have an “advantage of backwardness. Since accession countries have a low R&D-GDP ratio in the early transition stage rising government expenditures on research and development plus higher education is crucial. We expect the EU-15 countries in general to benefit from enlargement but gains will be asymmetric across countries: economic geography matters. Austria, Germany, the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, Italy and France are likely to profit more than the other members of EU-15. Germany and Austria additionally play a particularly crucial role as origins of FDI. Future research should focus on the speed and the scope of structural adjustment.
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New industries in Eastern Germany - The state of the development of modern biotechnologies in Saxony-Anhalt
Walter Komar
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 16,
2002
Abstract
East German regions are able to increase their economics and innovation potential, if they orient themselves on technologies, which release important growth effects. Such growth branch is the modern biotechnology. In this paper the development and the location factors of the biotechnology industry in Saxonia-Anhalt are analyzed and compared with the bio region Munich, which rank to among the best bio regions in Germany. The analysis shows that the development of the modern biotechnology in East German regions can be favoured, if the location factors are improved.
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Intra-industry trade and the productivity gap in the enlarged EU
Hubert Gabrisch
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 16,
2002
Abstract
Trade between the European Union (EU) and the Transition Economies (TE) is increasingly characterised by intra-industry trade. The decomposition of intra-industry trade into horizontal and vertical shares reveals predominantly vertical structures with decisively more quality advantages for the EU and less quality advantages for TE countries whenever trade has been liberalised. Sizeable foreign direct investment did obviously not reduce the superiority of producers in the EU in terms of technology, capital and human capital. The productivity gap between the EU and TE countries remains. EU firms have been able to increase their product quality and to shift low-quality segments of production to TE countries. This may suggest a product-quality cycle prevalent in EU-TE trade. The testing of this model confirms the assumptions.
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Hardly any technology spillovers from supplier contacts of foreign subsidiaries in Hungary
Jutta Günther
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 13,
2002
Abstract
“Almost no technology spillovers via supplier contacts of foreign subsidiaries in Hungary“ Transition economies in the process of catching-up expect that interactions between modern equipped foreign subsidiaries and backward local companies lead to technology spillovers, especially via supplier contacts. The explorative empirical study shows, however, that linkages between foreign subsidiaries and local firms do hardly exist. First, this is due to the fact that the foreign affiliates largely stick to suppliers in their home countries. Second, the technological disparities between foreign subsidiaries and local firms - the so-called dual structure of economy - hinders cooperation in the field of supplier contacts.
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Current Trends - Profound technological specialization in East Germany
Joachim Ragnitz
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 13,
2002
Abstract
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FDI as Multiplier of Modern Technology in Hungarian Industry
Jutta Günther
Intereconomics,
No. 5,
2002
Abstract
Foreign direct investment is generally expected to play a significant role as a multiplier of modern production and management know-how in Central Eastern European transition economies. The following paper examines the various mechanisms by which such technological spillover effects could in theory take place and compares them with the results of an empirical study of their practical significance for Hungarian industry.
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Investment Behaviour of Financially Constrained Multinational Corporations: Consequences for the International Transmission of Business Cycle Fluctuations
Diemo Dietrich
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 165,
2002
Abstract
The paper investigates the investment decision of a financially constrained multinational
corporation (MNC) planning investment projects both at home and in a developing
country. The collateral values of the projects diverge because of country specific
transactions costs so that the willingness of banks to grant a loan depends not only on
the MNCs financial wealth but also on the share of FDI in total investment. It is shown
that i) variations in the MNCs financial standing affects FDI stronger than domestic
investment, ii) FDI is likely to decrease following a macroeconomic shock to the MNC
parent, and iii) domestic investment is likely to increase following a macroeconomic
shock to the MNC affiliate.
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The significance of FDI for innovation activities within domestic firms - The case of Central East European transition economies
Jutta Günther
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 162,
2002
Abstract
Foreign direct investment is expected to play a significant role as a multiplier of modern production- and management-know-how in Central East European transition economies. The so-called technology-spillovers are explained through externalities or extra-marketlinkages. In practice they can take place via demonstration effects, labor mobility, supplier contacts, customer contacts or networking activities. However, the empirical study on the example of Hungarian industry shows that foreign owned and domestic firms – mainly due to their strong technological disparities – build virtually separate spheres within the industrial sector. Thus, technology-spillovers do hardly appear as an innovation-stimulating means for domestic companies.
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