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Export innovation: The role of new imported inputs and multinationality

Author

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  • Castellani, Davide

    (University of Reading)

  • Fassio, Claudio

    (CIRCLE, Lund University)

Abstract

This paper focuses on the determinants of export innovation, that is innovation in a firm’s export product portfolio. We argue that this novel measure is an important proxy of the overall competitiveness of exporters. We identify two main factors that contribute to the introduction of export innovations at the firm level: importing new inputs and being part of a multinational group. Based on a sample of more than 14,000 Swedish manufacturing firms over the period 2001-2012, we show that importing new inputs is a key determinant of innovation in exported products, even after controlling for multinationality and a number of other firm characteristics. The effect of new imports is particularly strong for small firms and is mainly due to the import of new intermediate inputs. Being part of a multinational group has instead an ambivalent effect on export innovations of Swedish firms: while small firms acquired by foreign MNEs show a short term reduction in export innovation, this is not true for large firms, which instead increase their export innovation when they establish subsidiaries abroad or become part of a Swedish-owned multinational group.

Suggested Citation

  • Castellani, Davide & Fassio, Claudio, 2017. "Export innovation: The role of new imported inputs and multinationality," Papers in Innovation Studies 2017/16, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
  • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2017_016
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Fedyunina, Anna (Федюнина, Анна) & Averyanova, Yuliya (Аверьянова, Юлия), 2018. "Empirical Analysis of Competitiveness Factors of Russian Exporters in Manufacturing Industries [Эмпирический Анализ Факторов Конкурентоспособности Российских Экспортеров В Обрабатывающих Отраслях]," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 6, pages 102-121, December.
    3. Letizia Montinari & Massimo Riccaboni & Stefano Schiavo, 2021. "Innovation, trade and multi‐product firms," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(1), pages 311-337, February.
    4. Dung Nguyen‐Van & Chia‐Hua Chang, 2021. "Internationalization and product innovation in ASEAN: The moderating role of organizational innovation," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(2), pages 437-462, March.
    5. Blessing Chipanda & Matthew Clance & Steven F. Koch, 2020. "Technological Trade Composition and Performance in African Countries," Working Papers 202057, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    innovation; importing; exporting; multinational enterprises; Sweden;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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