nep-ino New Economics Papers
on Innovation
Issue of 2022‒02‒14
eight papers chosen by
Uwe Cantner
University of Jena

  1. Automation and related technologies: A mapping of the new knowledge base By Santarelli, Enrico; Staccioli, Jacopo; Vivarelli, Marco
  2. Networks of international knowledge links: new layers in innovation systems By Leonardo Costa Ribeiro; Jorge Nogueira de Paiva Britto; Eduardo da Motta e Albuquerque
  3. THE RELATIONSHIP OF TECHNOLOGICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION WITH FIRM PERFORMANCE: OPENING THE BLACK BOX OF DYNAMIC COMPLEMENTARITIES By Priit Vahter; Maaja Vadi
  4. Induced innovation in energy technologies and systems: A review of evidence and potential implications for CO2 mitigation By Grubb, Michael; Drummond, Paul; Poncia, Alexandra; McDowall, Will; Popp, David; Samadi, Sascha; Penasco, Cristina; Gillingham, Kenneth T.; Smulders, Sjak; Glachant, Matthieu; Hassall, Gavin; Mizuno, Emi; Rubin, Edward S.; Dechezleprêtre, Antoine; Pavan, Giulia
  5. Positioning firms along the capabilities ladder By Coad, Alex; Mathew, Nanditha; Pugliese, Emanuele
  6. Open innovation and prizes: is the European Commission really comitted? By Isabelle Liotard; Valérie Revest
  7. Product market competition, creative destruction and innovation By Rachel Griffith; John Van Reenen
  8. Mobile money adoption and entrepreneurs’ access to trade credit in the informal sector By Tetteh, Godsway Korku; Goedhuys, Micheline; Konte, Maty; Mohnen, Pierre

  1. By: Santarelli, Enrico (Department of Economics, University of Bologna, and Department of Economics and Management, University of Luxembourg); Staccioli, Jacopo (Department of Economic Policy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, and Institute of Economics, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies); Vivarelli, Marco (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, and Department of Economic Policy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, and Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA))
    Abstract: Using the entire population of USPTO patent applications published between 2002 and 2019, and leveraging on both patent classification and semantic analysis, this paper aims to map the current knowledge base centred on robotics and AI technologies. These technologies are investigated both as a whole and distinguishing core and related innovations, along a 4-level core-periphery architecture. Merging patent applications with the Orbis IP firm-level database allows us to put forward a twofold analysis based on industry of activity and geographic location. In a nutshell, results show that: (i) rather than representing a technological revolution, the new knowledge base is strictly linked to the previous technological paradigm; (ii) the new knowledge base is characterised by a considerable – but not impressively widespread – degree of pervasiveness; (iii) robotics and AI are strictly related, converging (particularly among the related technologies and in more recent times) and jointly shaping a new knowledge base that should be considered as a whole, rather than consisting of two separate GPTs; (iv) the US technological leadership turns out to be confirmed (although declining in relative terms in favour of Asian countries such as South Korea, China and, more recently, India).
    Keywords: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, General Purpose Technology, Technological Paradigm, Industry
    JEL: O25 O31 O33 O34
    Date: 2022–01–17
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unm:unumer:2022003&r=
  2. By: Leonardo Costa Ribeiro (Cedeplar/UFMG); Jorge Nogueira de Paiva Britto (Universidade Federal Fluminense); Eduardo da Motta e Albuquerque (Cedeplar/UFMG)
    Abstract: The unit of analysis of this paper is an international knowledge link (IKL), a knowledge flow that leaves a trace and connects two nodes – different institutions, firms and universities, in different countries. We present and analyze 17,240,834 international knowledge links (data from 2017). These international knowledge links form three basic networks. These three international layers overlap and interweave, forming a network of networks. The contribution of this paper is the identification and preliminary analysis of this overlapping and intertwinement. These networks are robust and their properties suggest a hierarchical structure of a multilayer network that is asymmetric. These networks are interpreted as new layers of innovation systems, with implications for the dynamic of innovation – a reorganization of different levels of innovation systems, now a more complicated structure with interaction between local, sectoral and national levels, as well as these overlapping international networks.
    Keywords: International Knowledge flows; Innovation Systems; Networks of networks
    JEL: O32 O34 O39
    Date: 2022–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cdp:texdis:td640&r=
  3. By: Priit Vahter; Maaja Vadi
    Abstract: This paper explores the dynamic nature of complementarities between technological and organizational innovation at firms. Using Spanish firm level panel data (PITEC) over period 2008-2016, it investigates how the formation, keeping and ending of the joint adoption of these two core types of innovation is associated with firm performance. In the case of the general static test of complementarities we find no evidence of complementarities. However, once we focus on the analysis of within-firm changes in the complementarity bundle of innovation types, we observe clear evidence that some sequential as well as simultaneous strategy switches towards combining technological and organizational novelties are associated with significant performance premia at firms. Our findings point out the key role of technological innovation in these complementarities. We find evidence of sequential complementarity only when organizational innovation is added to the already existing technological innovation at the firm, not when organizational innovation is added as first component before technological innovation. In the case of dissolving the complementarity bundle of innovation types, the key disadvantage for the firm is related to dropping the technological innovation. Giving up only organizational innovation while keeping the technological innovation appears to have no negative effect, on average, on firm performance.
    Keywords: technological innovation, organizational innovation, complementarities, sequential complementarity
    Date: 2022
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:mtk:febawb:138&r=
  4. By: Grubb, Michael; Drummond, Paul; Poncia, Alexandra; McDowall, Will; Popp, David; Samadi, Sascha; Penasco, Cristina; Gillingham, Kenneth T.; Smulders, Sjak; Glachant, Matthieu; Hassall, Gavin; Mizuno, Emi; Rubin, Edward S.; Dechezleprêtre, Antoine; Pavan, Giulia
    Abstract: We conduct a systematic and interdisciplinary review of empirical literature assessing evidence on induced innovation in energy and related technologies. We explore links between demand-drivers (both market-wide and targeted); indicators of innovation (principally, patents); and outcomes (cost reduction, efficiency, and multi-sector/macro consequences). We build on existing reviews in different fields and assess over 200 papers containing original data analysis. Papers linking drivers to patents, and indicators of cumulative capacity to cost reductions (experience curves), dominate the literature. The former does not directly link patents to outcomes; the latter does not directly test for the causal impact of on cost reductions. Diverse other literatures provide additional evidence concerning the links between deployment, innovation activities, and outcomes. We derive three main conclusions. (a) Demand-pull forces enhance patenting; econometric studies find positive impacts in industry, electricity and transport sectors in all but a few specific cases. This applies to all drivers-general energy prices, carbon prices, and targeted interventions that build markets. (b) Technology costs decline with cumulative investment for almost every technology studied across all time periods, when controlled for other factors. Numerous lines of evidence point to dominant causality from at-scale deployment (prior to self-sustaining diffusion) to cost reduction in this relationship. (c) Overall innovation is cumulative, multi-faceted, and self-reinforcing in its direction (path-dependent). We conclude with brief observations on implications for modelling and policy. In interpreting these results, we suggest distinguishing the economics of active deployment, from more passive diffusion processes, and draw the following implications. There is a role for policy diversity and experimentation, with evaluation of potential gains from innovation in the broadest sense. Consequently, endogenising innovation in large-scale models is important for deriving policy-relevant conclusions. Finally, seeking to relate quantitative economic evaluation to the qualitative socio-technical transitions literatures could be a fruitful area for future research.
    Keywords: comitigation costs; directed technological change; endogenous technological change; energy innovation; induced innovation; innovation policy; learning by doing
    JEL: N0
    Date: 2021–03–29
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:113439&r=
  5. By: Coad, Alex (Waseda Business School); Mathew, Nanditha (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University); Pugliese, Emanuele (European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC))
    Abstract: We develop and apply a novel methodology for quantifying the capability development of firms, and putting these capabilities (and hence also the firms) in a hierarchy, that we refer to as their position on the capabilities ladder. Our nestedness algorithm, inspired by biology and network science, defines a capability as complex if it is performed by only a few firms at the upper rungs of the ladder. We analyze balance sheet and innovation data of almost 40,000 Indian firms for the time period 1988-2015, and observe significant nestedness. Lower rungs of the capabilities ladder correspond to basic managerial and production capabilities. Mid-level rungs correspond to internationalization and acquiring absorptive capacity. Higher level rungs are more related to M&A and innovation. ICT capabilities have become more fundamental lower-level rungs on the capabilities ladder in recent years. We find that capability ranking can explain future growth patterns and survival probability of firms, summing up in one number their future potential trajectories.
    Keywords: Capabilities, Competences, Complexity, Balance sheet data, Resources
    JEL: L2 D2 O12
    Date: 2021–08–13
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unm:unumer:2021031&r=
  6. By: Isabelle Liotard (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - LABEX ICCA - UP13 - Université Paris 13 - Université Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UP - Université de Paris - Université Sorbonne Paris Nord - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - Université Sorbonne Paris Nord); Valérie Revest
    Abstract: In 2015, the European Commission decided upon new political directions toward open innovation. Our aim is to assess to which extend the European Innovation Prizes are enshrined in the open innovation's movement. 22 innovation's prizes have been scrutinized on the basis on official EC's documents and interviews carried out with stakholders. The results tend to show that if a degree of openess is noted, European Innovation prizes could tend toward greater citizens' inclusivity. From an academic viewpoint, we propose to combine the properties of the concepts of innovation prizes and communities.
    Date: 2022–01–13
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:cepnwp:hal-03524203&r=
  7. By: Rachel Griffith (Institute for Fiscal Studies and University of Manchester); John Van Reenen (Institute for Fiscal Studies)
    Abstract: We examine the economic analysis of the relationship between innovation and product market competition. First, we give a brief tour of the intellectual history of the area. Second, we examine how the Aghion-Howitt framework has influenced the development of the literature theoretically and (especially) empirically, with an emphasis on the “inverted U”: the idea that innovation rises and then eventually falls as the intensity of competition increases. Thirdly, we look at recent applications and development of the framework in the areas of competition policy, international trade and structural Industrial Organization.
    Date: 2021–12–03
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ifs:ifsewp:21/43&r=
  8. By: Tetteh, Godsway Korku (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University); Goedhuys, Micheline (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University); Konte, Maty (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, and Barnard College, Columbia University); Mohnen, Pierre (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University)
    Abstract: Despite the contribution of previous studies to unravel the implications of mobile money in the developing world, the effect of this innovation on an important source of external finance, trade credit, has not been properly accounted for particularly in the informal sector. Using the 2016 FinAccess Household Survey, we investigate the relationship between mobile money adoption and the probability to receive goods and services on credit from suppliers based on a sample of entrepreneurs who operate informal businesses. We further explore the effect of mobile money adoption on the likelihood to offer goods and services on credit to customers. Our estimations suggest that entrepreneurs with mobile money are more likely to receive goods and sesrvices on credit from suppliers. We also find a positive and significant relationship between mobile money adoption and the likelihood to offer goods and services on credit to customers. The evidence supports the promotion of mobile money adoption among entrepreneurs in the informal sector to facilitate access to credit.
    Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Financial Innovation, Mobile Money, Trade Credit
    JEL: D14 G21 L26 O16 O33
    Date: 2021–11–17
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:unm:unumer:2021043&r=

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