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Innovativeness of Exporting firms in a Developing Country: The Case of Tunisia

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  • Mohieddine Rahmouni

    (GREThA (UMR CNRS 5113) Université Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV, 33608 Pessac cedex, France,)

Abstract

The relationship between exports and the propensity to innovate is an important issue for a developing economy. This article is dedicated to this question through the analysis of the first innovation survey of Tunisian firms. In particular, it distinguishes the propensity to innovate among three categories of firms: pure exporters, that only address the foreign demand, pure domestic firms, and partial exporters. We explore this relationship as it can be qualified using econometric estimation (mainly Probit models) and non-parametrical regression trees on the results of the first community innovation survey in Tunisia. We find that the innovation behavior of the three categories of firms is strongly contrasted. Our results show firms that address both the domestic and foreign demands (partial-exporters) have the highest propensity to innovate. They better benefit from external sources of knowledge, as well as a diversified demand. We find that external knowledge sources, internal R&D efforts and some types of cooperative agreements are complementary for product innovation; but the first play an essential role, in the sense that firms must benefit from, at least, one external knowledge source to reach a significant innovation propensity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohieddine Rahmouni, 2013. "Innovativeness of Exporting firms in a Developing Country: The Case of Tunisia," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 33(2), pages 914-930.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-12-00359
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    Cited by:

    1. Misraku Molla Ayalew & Zhang Xianzhi & Yidersal Dagnaw Dinberu & Demis Hailegebreal Hailu, 2020. "The Determinants of Firm’s Innovation in Africa," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 527-567, September.
    2. Mohieddine Rahmouni, 2021. "Determinants of capacity utilisation by firms in developing countries: evidence from Tunisia," International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 13(3), pages 212-245.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; exports; openness; development; absorptive capacity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

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