The Role of the Intellectual Property Rights Regime for Foreign Investors in Post-Socialist Economies
Benedikt Schnellbächer, Johannes Stephan
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 4,
2009
Abstract
We integrate international business theory on foreign direct investment (FDI) with institutional theory on intellectual property rights (IPR) to explain characteristics and behaviour of foreign investment subsidiaries in Central East Europe, a region with an IPR regime-gap vis-à-vis West European countries. We start from the premise that FDI may play a crucial role for technological catch-up development in Central East Europe via technology and knowledge transfer. By use of a unique dataset generated at the IWH in collaboration with a European consortium in the framework of an EU-project, we assess the role played by the IPR regimes in a selection of CEE countries as a factor for corporate governance and control of foreign invested subsidiaries, for their own technological activity, their trade relationships, and networking partners for technological activity. As a specific novelty to the literature, we assess the in influence of the strength of IPR regimes on corporate control of subsidiaries and conclude that IPR-sensitive foreign investments tend to have lower functional autonomy, tend to cooperate more intensively within their transnational network and yet are still technologically more active than less IPR-sensitive subsidiaries. In terms of economic policy, this leads to the conclusion that the FDI will have a larger developmental impact if the IPR regime in the host economy is sufficiently strict.
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Ownership Structure, Strategic Controls and Export Intensity of Foreign-invested Firms in Transition Economies
I. Filatotchev, Johannes Stephan, Björn Jindra
Journal of International Business Studies,
No. 7,
2008
Abstract
This paper examines the relationships between foreign ownership, managers’ independence in decision-making and exporting of foreign-invested firms in five European Union accession countries. Using a unique, hand-collected data set of 434 foreign-invested firms in Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia and Estonia, we show that foreign investors’ ownership and control over strategic decisions are positively associated with export intensity, measured as the proportion of exports to total sales. The study also analyzes specific governance and control configurations in foreign-invested firms, showing that foreign equity and foreign control over business functions are complementary in terms of their effects on export intensity.
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Foreign Subsidiaries in the East German Innovation System – Evidence from manufacturing industries
Jutta Günther, Johannes Stephan, Björn Jindra
Applied Economics Quarterly Supplement,
No. 59,
2008
Abstract
This paper analyses the extent of technological capability of foreign subsidiaries located in East Germany, and looks at the determinants of foreign subsidiaries’ technological sourcing behaviour. The theory of international production underlines the importance of strategic and regional level variables. However, existing empirical approaches omit by and large regional level factors. We employ survey evidence from the “FDI micro database” of the IWH, that was only recently made available, to conduct our analyses. We find that foreign subsidiaries are above average technologically active in comparison to the whole East German manufacturing. This can be partially explained by the industrial structure of foreign direct investment. However, only a limited share of foreign subsidiaries with R&D and/or innovation activity source technological knowledge from the East German innovation system. If a subsidiary follows a competence augmenting strategy or does local trade, it is more likely to source technological knowledge locally. The endowment of a region with human capital and a scientific infrastructure has a positive effect too. The findings suggest that foreign subsidiaries in East Germany are only partially linked with the regional innovation system. Policy implications are discussed.
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The Role of the Human Capital and Managerial Skills in Explaining the Productivity Gaps between East and West
Johannes Stephan, Wolfgang Steffen
Eastern European Economics,
No. 6,
2008
Abstract
This paper assess determinants of productivity gaps between firms in the European transition countries and regions and firms in West Germany. The analysis is conducted at the firm level by use of a unique database constructed by field work. The determinants tested in a simple econometric regression model are focussed upon the issue of human capital and modern market-oriented management. The results are novel in as much as a solution was established for the puzzling results in related research with respect to a comparison of formal qualification between East and West. Furthermore, the analysis was able to establish that the kind of human capital and expertise mostly needed in the post-socialist firms are related to the particular requirements of a competitive market-based economic environment. Finally, the analysis also finds empirical support for the role of capital deepening in productivity catch-up, as well as the case that the gaps in labour productivity are most importantly rooted in a more labour-intense production, which does not give rise to a competitive disadvantage.
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Foreign Subsidiaries in the East German Innovation System – Evidence from Manufacturing Industries
Jutta Günther, Björn Jindra, Johannes Stephan
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 4,
2008
Abstract
This paper analyses the extent of technological capability of foreign subsidiaries located in East Germany, and looks at the determinants of foreign subsidiaries’ technological sourcing behaviour. The theory of international production underlines the importance of strategic and regional level variables. However, existing empirical approaches omit by and large regional level factors. We employ survey evidence from the “FDI micro data- base” of the IWH, that was only recently made available, to conduct our analyses. We find that foreign subsidiaries are above average technologically active in comparison to the whole East German manufacturing. This can be partially explained by the industrial structure of foreign direct investment. However, only a limited share of foreign subsidiaries with R&D and/or innovation activity source technological knowledge from the East German innovation system. If a subsidiary follows a competence augmenting strategy or does local trade, it is more likely to source technological knowledge locally. The endowment of a region with human capital and a scientific infrastructure has a positive effect too. The findings suggest that foreign subsidiaries in East Germany are only partially linked with the regional innovation system. Policy implications are discussed.
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East German Innovation System attractive for Foreign Investors
Jutta Günther, Björn Jindra, Johannes Stephan
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 1,
2008
Abstract
Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays an important role in the catching-up process of East Germany due to direct employment- and demand related effects. However, this article takes a technological perspective on FDI in East Germany. It considers technological activities of foreign investors (R&D and innovation) and asks to what extent these are integrated into the East German innovation system. In other words, do foreign investors interact technologically with domestic enterprises and scientific institutions? So far, there seems to be a striking absence of empirical evidence on this issue. The basis for our analysis is recent data from a representative survey of foreign direct investors in East German manufacturing completed in 2007. The findings show that on average foreign investors are more R&D and innovation intensive compared to the total of East German manufacturing. In addition, their technological activities are by no means isolated from the East German innovation system. Foreign subsidiaries seem to benefit from East German customers, suppliers and especially scientific institutions with regard to locally conducted R&D and innovation. Contrary to existing assumptions the East German innovation system seems to be particularly attractive for the most technologically active foreign subsidiaries. This could constitute a major locational advantage for FDI in East Germany over Central and East Europe. However, the technologically active foreign investors believe that only East German suppliers are able to benefit from their technological cooperation. The same cannot be said about East German customers or competitors. Thus, the potential for technological externalities from FDI in East Germany seems still to be limited.
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Under which conditions do inland suppliers profit from foreign direct investment?
Björn Jindra, Johannes Stephan
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 10,
2006
Abstract
Aus theoretischer Sicht ergeben sich durch die Präsenz ausländischer Unternehmen nicht nur realwirtschaftliche Effekte auf Produktion und Beschäftigung, sondern auch ein Potential für technologische Entwicklung durch Wissenstransfer zu einheimischen Unternehmen. Dieser Wissenstransfer ist abhängig von dem Grad der Verflechtung des ausländischen Unternehmens mit der einheimischen Wirtschaft. Dabei kommt der Beziehung zwischen Investor und einheimischen Zulieferunternehmen eine zentrale Bedeutung zu, denn multinationale Unternehmen haben ein strategisches Interesse, alle lokalen Effizienzvorteile auszuschöpfen. Der vorliegende Beitrag unterstellt, daß sowohl die Ausbildung von Zulieferbeziehungen als auch das Potential für Wissenstransfer zum einen von organisatorischen Faktoren im ausländischen Unternehmen und zum anderen von der lokalen Wissensbasis und der technologischen Leistungsfähigkeit abhängig sind. Dieser Zusammenhang wird an Hand eines Datensatzes von 434 Tochterunternehmen aus fünf Mittel- und Osteuropäischen Ländern getestet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß die Intensität von Zulieferbeziehungen als auch das Potential für Wissenstransfer steigt, wenn Tochterunternehmen als Joint Venture geführt werden sowie Eigenverantwortung in den Bereichen Logistik und Zulieferung besitzen. Die technologische Leistungsfähigkeit des heimischen Sektors fördert sowohl die Intensität von Zulieferbeziehungen als auch das Potential für Wissenstransfer. Zusätzlich steigert die absorptive Kapazität der einheimischen Zulieferbetriebe das Potential für Wissenstransfer. Will man verhindern, daß ausländische Investitionen auf einer „Insel“ inmitten der einheimischen Wirtschaft operieren und keine Wissenseffekte generieren, dann bietet die Förderung von Forschungs- und Entwicklungskooperationen zwischen ausländischen Investoren und lokalen Zulieferbetrieben in technologisch leistungsfähigen Sektoren ein opportunes Mittel.
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Knowledge complementarity and productivity growth within foreign subsidiaries in Central and Eastern Europe
Björn Jindra
Wirtschaft im Wandel,
No. 3,
2006
Abstract
Multinationale Unternehmen haben sich in Mittelund Osteuropa angesiedelt, um zum einen am Markt präsent zu sein und zum anderen den Standort als Basis für den internationalen Handel zu nutzen. Marktpräsenz hat sich als Motiv für Neuansiedlungen weitestgehend erschöpft. Zeitgleich konkurriert Mittel- und Osteuropa verstärkt mit asiatischen Ökonomien als Produktionsstandort. Die Ressource Wissen stellt ein zusätzliches entscheidendes Motiv für Investitionen dar. Multinationale Unternehmen übertragen spezifisches Wissen an einen anderen Unternehmensteil, damit dieser seine Funktion innerhalb des Konzerns erfüllen kann. Der effiziente Transfer kann durch die Beschaffenheit des Wissens, geographische und sprachliche Barrieren aber auch durch unzureichende absorptive Kapazität im Tochterunternehmen behindert werden. D. h., Tochterunternehmen müssen komplementäres Wissen und Fähigkeiten besitzen, um das externe Wissen produktiv absorbieren zu können. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht anhand eines Mikrodatensatzes in fünf EU-Beitrittsländern den Zusammenhang zwischen komplementärem Wissen und Produktivitätswachstum. Es kann festgestellt werde, daß ausländische Tochterbetriebe von direktem Wissenstransfer profitieren und lokales Wissen ebenfalls einen positiven Effekt auf das Produktivitätswachstum hat. Es werden zwei dominierende Typen der Wissenskomplementarität identifiziert. Bei Typ (I) transferiert der ausländische Investor technologisches Kernwissen und das Tochterunternehmen besitzt komplementäres Wissen in der Anwendung. Bei Typ (II) ist technologisches Kernwissen auf Mutter- und Tochterunternehmen komplementär verteilt. Aus der Forschung kann geschlußfolgert werden, daß es für die Länder Mittel- und Osteuropas von Bedeutung ist, die Humankapitalbasis ausreichend zu entwickeln, um in Zukunft nicht vom technologischen Wissenstransfer durch ausländische Investitionen ausgeschlossen zu werden.
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Knowledge Transfer to MNE Subsidiaries in Central and East Europe - Integrating Knowledge-based and Organisational Perspectives: An Introduction, Special Edition
Johannes Stephan, Björn Jindra
East-West Journal of Economics and Business,
1 & 2
2005
Abstract
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Industry Level Technology Gaps and Complementary Knowledge Stocks as Determinants of Intra-MNC Knowledge Flows
Björn Jindra, Johannes Stephan
East-West Journal of Economics and Business,
1 & 2
2005
Abstract
Pursuing a subsidiary level analysis, we this paper tests the ‘technology gap’ hypothesis in the context of intra-MNC knowledge flows. Furthermore, it introduces complementary knowledge stocks into the concept of absorptive capacity. A set of hypotheses is tested in sample 434 foreign subsidiaries based in Central and East Europe. We find partial support for the ‘technology gap’ hypothesis applied at industry level. Furthermore, subsidiaries’ complementary knowledge stocks increase the probability for corresponding knowledge inflows from the foreign parent.
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