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Import competition, multi-product firms, and basic innovation

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  • Liu, Runjuan
  • Rosell, Carlos

Abstract

How does firm strategy to produce basic innovation respond to international trade? Given the importance of basic innovation for economic growth and welfare, better understanding of this question is essential. In this vein we combine patent, firm, product, and trade data to show that when confronted with higher import penetration, the nature of firm innovation becomes less basic. We propose that underlying this result is the interplay between multi-product firms that narrow their product scope when exposed to greater import competition and the difficulty inventors face when capturing all benefits derived from their basic innovations.

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  • Liu, Runjuan & Rosell, Carlos, 2013. "Import competition, multi-product firms, and basic innovation," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(2), pages 220-234.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:inecon:v:91:y:2013:i:2:p:220-234
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jinteco.2013.08.004
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    Cited by:

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    2. Marwil J. Dávila-Fernández, 2019. "Manufacture Content and Financialisation: An Empirical Assessment," Department of Economics University of Siena 811, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    3. Chakraborty, Pavel & Henry, Michael, 2019. "Chinese competition and product variety of Indian firms," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 367-395.
    4. Booth, Laurence & Wang, Mengying & Zhou, Jun, 2019. "Import competition and financial flexibility: Evidence from corporate payout policy," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 382-396.
    5. Debasis Pahi & Inder Sekhar Yadav, 2022. "Product market competition, agency cost and dividend payouts: new evidence from emerging market," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(3), pages 925-956, September.
    6. Chen, Ji & Wu, Liudan & Hao, Lili & Yu, Xiao & Streimikiene, Dalia, 2024. "Does the import of green products encourage green technology innovation? Empirical evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    7. Liu, Duan & Wang, Qiuhong & Wang, Aidi & Yao, Shujie, 2023. "Export profitability and firm R&D: on China's export diversification under trade war," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 151-166.
    8. Liu, Xueyue & Liu, Yu & Zhao, Ruili, 2023. "Import competition and energy efficiency: Firms' responses to the WTO accession in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 670-690.
    9. Chakraborty, Pavel & Mitra, Devashish & Sundaram, Asha, 2024. "Import competition, labor market regulations, and firm outsourcing," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    10. Qing L. Burke & Tim V. Eaton & Mengying Wang, 2019. "Trade liberalization and conditional accounting conservatism: evidence from import competition," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 811-844, October.
    11. Zhang, Yan & Chen, Chen & Ma, Baojie & Jin, Shaosheng, 2024. "Trade effects of transnational timber legality assurance regimes: Evidence from the lacey act amendment on China’s forest product exports," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    12. Niu, Peng & Yang, Yujia & Sun, Lirong, 2023. "High quality imports and green innovation," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(2).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Basic innovation; Import competition; Multi-product firm;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F19 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Other
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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