The relevance, nature and economic effects of innovation activities of transnational corporations are highly debated topics in the current literature on the “globalization of technology”. A controversial theme concerns the innovation strategies of foreign affiliates and the role they play in host countries. This article sheds new light on this topic by assessing the technological contribution of foreign affiliates in Italy; comparing the innovation performance and strategies of foreign affiliates and domestic firms; and qualifying the main patterns of innovative activities of transnational corporations. The empirical evidence presented shows that foreign affiliates and domestic firms differ from each other more in terms of type of innovation strategies pursued than in terms of innovation performance. However, innovation strategies of foreign affiliates reflect a high degree of heterogeneity, being affected by the technological characteristics of an industry, the specific technological assets of firms as well as by some peculiar features of the Italian innovation and production systems,
Global technology: innovation strategies of multinational affiliates in Italy
EVANGELISTA, Rinaldo;
2005-01-01
Abstract
The relevance, nature and economic effects of innovation activities of transnational corporations are highly debated topics in the current literature on the “globalization of technology”. A controversial theme concerns the innovation strategies of foreign affiliates and the role they play in host countries. This article sheds new light on this topic by assessing the technological contribution of foreign affiliates in Italy; comparing the innovation performance and strategies of foreign affiliates and domestic firms; and qualifying the main patterns of innovative activities of transnational corporations. The empirical evidence presented shows that foreign affiliates and domestic firms differ from each other more in terms of type of innovation strategies pursued than in terms of innovation performance. However, innovation strategies of foreign affiliates reflect a high degree of heterogeneity, being affected by the technological characteristics of an industry, the specific technological assets of firms as well as by some peculiar features of the Italian innovation and production systems,I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
