| By: |
Tomohiro MACHIKITA (Tomohiro MACHIKITA Institute of Developing Economies, Inter-disciplinary Studies Center, Japan);
Yasushi UEKI (Yasushi UEKI Institute of Developing Economies, Bangkok Research Center, Thailand) |
| Abstract: |
This paper studies two questions on the role of networked sources of knowledge
influential to product innovation. First: What is the extent of technology
transferred through vertical linkages and public-private alliances, including
university-industry linkages, in the phase of product improvement and
development? Second: What types of knowledge are transferred from external
technology sources? In a sample of ASEAN firms’ self-reported partner data
restricted to automotive related industries, we found that direct linkages
with MNC customers in foreign countries resulted in a lower propensity of
product innovation. Indeed, incoming knowledge from MNC customers relating to
the management of quality of existing products especially explained the lower
propensity of product innovation. We also found that production linkages with
MNC suppliers in foreign countries resulted in a higher propensity of product
innovation. Incoming knowledge from MNC suppliers about quality controls
explained a lower propensity of product innovation. These findings empirically
indicate that networked sources of knowledge have a significant influence
trade-off between maintaining existing operations and developing new products.
The impacts of public-private alliances on innovation are sizable compared
with the impacts of vertical linkages. Public-private alliances and vertical
linkages offer knowledge with different effects on product innovation. |
| Date: |
2011–11–01 |
| URL: |
http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:era:wpaper:dp-2011-08&r=knm |