nep-ino New Economics Papers
on Innovation
Issue of 2014‒03‒01
eleven papers chosen by
Steffen Lippert
University of Otago, Dunedin

  1. Process Innovation and Product Quality Improvement in a Dynamic Monopoly By L. Lambertini; R. Orsini
  2. A resource pool for environmental innovation By Rasi Kunapatarawong; Ester Martinez Ros
  3. The effectiveness of R&D support in Italy. Some evidence from matching methods By Aiello, Francesco
  4. A Policy Perspective On The Russian Technology Platforms By Liliana Proskuryakova; Dirk Meissner; Pavel Rudnik
  5. Do Green Innovations stimulate Employment? – Firm-level Evidence From Germany By Georg Licht; Bettina Peters
  6. On the R&D giants' shoulders: Do FDI help to stand on them? By Sandro Montresor; Antonio Vezzani
  7. Industry Concentration, Knowledge Diffusion, and Economic Growth Without Scale Effects By Colin Davis; Ken-ichi Hashimoto
  8. Semi-Endogenous R&D Growth Model with Negative Population Growth By Sasaki, Hiroaki; Hoshida, Keisuke
  9. How Innovation Systems and Development Theories complement each other By Natera, Jose Miguel; Pansera, Mario
  10. The Learning Process and Technological Change in Wind Power: Evidence from China’s CDM Wind Projects By Tian Tang; David Popp
  11. Evaluation of the Team-Based Goals and Performance Based Incentives (TBGI) Innovation in Bihar. By Evan Borkum; Anu Rangarajan; Dana Rotz; Swetha Sridharan; Sukhmani Sethi; Mercy Manorajini

  1. By: L. Lambertini; R. Orsini
    Abstract: We investigate the optimal R&D portfolio of a single-product monopolist investing in cost-reducing activities accompanied by efforts improving the quality of its product. There emerges that the firm’s relative incentives along the two directions are conditional upon market affluency, measured by consumers’ willingness to pay for quality, and R&D efforts are complements at equilibrium. We also perform the stability analysis, showing that a stable branch exists along the quality dimension only.
    JEL: L12 O31
    Date: 2014–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bol:bodewp:wp926&r=ino
  2. By: Rasi Kunapatarawong; Ester Martinez Ros
    Abstract: This paper reports research on the relationship between sourcing strategy of a firm and its environmental innovation propensity. The data is taken from the Spanish TechnologicalInnovation Panel (PITEC) survey during the period of 2007-2011. The uniqueness of the Spanish innovation structure and the increasing relevance of environmental issues for the Spanish economy make it a proper setting to investigate environmental innovation dynamics. The results from 5,352 firms indicate that large firms are more likely to undertake environmental innovation than small- and medium-sized firms (SMEs). These firms rely quite equally on all four sources of knowledge &- internal, market, institutional and freely-available sources &- when deciding to develop environmental innovation. The broad horizons with respect to knowledge sources are likely to increase firms' propensity to introduce environmental innovation. In addition, weprovide the evolutionary nature of firm's innovation search as firms grow in size. Small firmsrely on both internal and freely-available sources rather equally, while internal source is the most relevant for medium firms, and market is the most important source used by large firms indriving environmental innovation. Particularly important is how firms who are already innovators and who receive local funding from the Spanish government are more likely to introduce environmental innovation.
    Keywords: Environmental innovation , Knowledge sourcing , Discrete choice model
    Date: 2014–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cte:wbrepe:wb140301&r=ino
  3. By: Aiello, Francesco
    Abstract: In this study several matching procedures have been used to evaluate the impact of public R&D support received by Italian manufacturing firms over the three-year period 2004-2006. Data are from the Capitalia-UniCredit survey and estimations refer to a sample of 605 treated firms untreated are 2414). The evidence is mixed and depends on the objective-variable under consideration. As far as the total amount of R&D investments is concerned, the role of public support to innovation is positive and significant, while no impact has been found when considering the R&D intensity and the share of sales due to innovative-products. These differences in results are quite regular, whatever the matching method applied in the evaluation.
    Keywords: Policy Evaluation; R&D Investments; Innovative Sales; Matching estimators
    JEL: C2 H2 H7 L1 L2 L6 O32 O38
    Date: 2013–12–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:53848&r=ino
  4. By: Liliana Proskuryakova (National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia)); Dirk Meissner (National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia)); Pavel Rudnik (Russian Ministry for Economic Development)
    Abstract: The paper analyses the evolution of the ‘technology platform’ concept starting from an instrument for R&D and innovation management used by companies towards a policy instrument used for technology and economic development at national and international level. The authors propose a theoretical approach to technology platforms (TPs) as a policy concept and institutional framework useful for policy making in the sphere of science, technology and innovation. Furthermore the paper offers an analysis of the newly established Russian Technology Platforms that have the potential for advancing the national innovation system. The case-study of Russian Technology Platforms is aimed at analyzing technology platforms in Russia as a science, technology and innovation (STI) policy tool from theoretical and practical perspectives. The study addresses the question “What is the place of the Russian TPs in the national STI policy mix?” and outlines lessons learnt from the experience of the European technology platforms. Conclusions are drawn on the prospects of the TPs as an STI policy tool in Russia
    Keywords: technology platform, science and technology policy, innovation policy, regional development, economic development, public private partnerships
    JEL: O32 O33 O38
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hig:wpaper:26sti2014&r=ino
  5. By: Georg Licht; Bettina Peters
    Abstract: This paper studies the impact of environmental innovation on employment growth in the period 2006-2008 using firm-level data for German manufacturing and services. It extends the model by Harrison et al (2008) in order to distinguish between employment effects of environmental and non-environmental product as well as process innovation. As a robustness check patent data on green technologies are employed. The results demonstrate that both environmental and non-environmental product innovations stimulate employment growth. We find a similar gross employment effect of both types of product innovations. That is, one-percent increases in sales stemming from new environmental and non-environmental products increase gross employment by one percent each. Thus, we do not find evidence that that new products with environmental benefits for consumers are produced with higher or lower efficiency than old products. Yet, the net employment contribution of non-green product innovations is 4 to 5 times larger than the net contribution of green product innovations. This is the result of differences in the average innovation engagement and innovation success of both types of new products. In contrast, environmental and non-environmental process innovation plays only a little role for employment growth. In particular, we do not identify a significant trade-off between more environmental-friendly production technologies and employment growth. This holds for both cleaner production technologies and end-of pipe technologies.
    Keywords: Employment growth, environmental innovation, green patents
    JEL: O33 J23 L80 C21 C23
    Date: 2014–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:feu:wfewop:y:2014:m:2:d:0:i:53&r=ino
  6. By: Sandro Montresor (University of Bologna); Antonio Vezzani (JRC-IPTS)
    Abstract: The paper investigates the extent to which outward FDI affect the MNC's capacity of entering (and remaining in) the club of top R&D world investors, benefiting from performance gains in both financial and economic markets. By merging the European Industrial Research and Innovation Scoreboard with the fDi Markets dataset, we find supporting evidence. Increasing the number of FDI projects helps firms overcome the discontinuities that, in the distribution of R&D expenditures, separate the group of the largest world R&D investors from the top of them. The same is true for the number of FDI projects in R&D, which are also more important than greater FDI portfolios in becoming a top R&D spender. Furthermore, unlike FDI in general, more FDI in R&D guarantee firms to remain in this top club of firms as it increases their capacity of resisting competition for a place among the top R&D spenders. Results at the extensive margin (i.e. the number of FDI projects) are confirmed with respect to the scale of FDI projects (i.e. at the intensive margin). However, increasing their size is not enough to become one of the highest ranking R&D firms. Policy implications about the support to R&D internationalisation are drawn accordingly.
    Keywords: Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), Multinational Corporations (MNC), Research & Development (R&D).
    JEL: O32 F23 O33
    Date: 2014
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ipt:wpaper:201401&r=ino
  7. By: Colin Davis (The Institute for Liberal Arts, Doshisha University); Ken-ichi Hashimoto (Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University)
    Abstract: This paper develops a two region model of trade to study the relationship between geographic patterns of industry and economic growth without scale effects. With transport costs, imperfect knowledge diffusion, and perfect capital mobility, firms locate production, process innovation, and product development independently in their lowest cost regions, leading to the partial concentration of production and the full agglomeration of innovation in the region with the largest market. A rise in industry concentration increases knowledge spillovers from production to innovation, resulting in a fall or a rise in the level of market entry depending on whether productivity increases more for process innovation or for product development. As a result, the rate of economic growth may rise or fall, depending on the effects of industry concentration on market entry.
    Keywords: Industry Concentration, Industry Share, Knowledge Diffusion, Productivity Growth, Scale Effect
    JEL: F43 O30 O40 R12
    Date: 2014–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:koe:wpaper:1408&r=ino
  8. By: Sasaki, Hiroaki; Hoshida, Keisuke
    Abstract: This paper investigates the rates of technological progress, total output growth, and per capita output growth when population growth is negative by using a semi-endogenous R&D growth model. The analysis shows that within finite time, the employment share of the final goods sector reaches unity, the employment share of the R&D sector reaches zero, and accordingly, the rate of technological progress leads to zero. In this case, the growth rate of per capita output asymptotically approaches a positive value.
    Keywords: technological progress; semi-endogenous growth; negative population growth
    JEL: O11 O31 O41
    Date: 2014–02–21
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:53833&r=ino
  9. By: Natera, Jose Miguel; Pansera, Mario
    Abstract: The paper aims at comparing some of the most influential theories of development with the notion of Innovation Systems (IS). The objective is to understand if this comparison can be used to delve into the role of innovation within the development process. We start defining the main features that characterizes Innovation Systems. Then we contrast it with different branches of development theories: the Sen’s theory of capability building and the Institutionalism, the neo-classic approach and cumulative processes (multiple equilibrium approaches) and finally, the Structures and System Theories (LA structuralism approach, the dependency and world-system theory). We conclude that the interaction between IS and the theories considered represents a mutual benefit. IS, indeed, provide a systemic vision that considers innovation as a holistic process, giving a central role to social and economic factors. Hence, IS might be successfully applied to complement the classic development approach. Innovation Systems could also get benefits from this interaction: development theories shed light on the different ways to think of systemic relationships. Finally, rather than focusing on the discussion of IS being or not a theory for development by itself, we believe that making this relational exercise could generate new benefits and frameworks of analysis for the research community.
    Keywords: Innovation, Innovation systems, Development theory.
    JEL: O1
    Date: 2013
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:53633&r=ino
  10. By: Tian Tang; David Popp
    Abstract: The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a project-based carbon trade mechanism that subsidizes the users of climate-friendly technologies and encourages technology transfer. The CDM has provided financial support for a large share of Chinese wind projects since 2002. Using pooled cross-sectional data of 486 registered CDM wind projects in China from 2002 to 2009, we examine the determinants of technological change in wind power from a learning perspective. We estimate the effects of different channels of learning—learning through R&D in wind turbine manufacturing, learning from previous experience of installation, and learning through the network interaction between project developer and turbine manufacturer—on technological change, measured as reductions in projected costs or as increased capacity factor across CDM wind projects. While we find that a manufacturer’s R&D and previous installation experience matter, interactions between wind turbine manufacturers and wind project developer lead to the largest cost reductions. Whereas existing literature suggests that wind power firms can learn from the experience of other wind farm developers, our results indicate that wind power firms mainly learn from their own experience and that knowledge spillovers mostly occur within certain partnerships between wind project developer and foreign turbine manufacturers in China’s wind power industry.
    JEL: O33 O38 Q42 Q48 Q54 Q55
    Date: 2014–02
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19921&r=ino
  11. By: Evan Borkum; Anu Rangarajan; Dana Rotz; Swetha Sridharan; Sukhmani Sethi; Mercy Manorajini
    Keywords: TBGI, Team-Based Goals, Performance Based Incentives, Bihar
    Date: 2014–02–14
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mpr:mprres:8037&r=ino

This nep-ino issue is ©2014 by Steffen Lippert. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
General information on the NEP project can be found at http://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.