IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v186y2025ics0148296324004934.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does global value chain participation and position lead to innovation in an emerging economy? Industry-level evidence from Indian manufacturing industries

Author

Listed:
  • Thakur, Rahul
  • Sharma, Sakshi

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between global value chain (GVC) embeddedness (participation and position) and innovation performance in India using data from the TiVA database for 14 manufacturing industries over the period 2009–2018. To account for the endogeneity issue arising due to reverse causality, the study employs a two-step system GMM. Empirical results show that GVC participation and position both significantly positively affect innovation performance, measured by the number of patent applications filed. However, participation has an inverted U-shaped impact. We contribute to the existing literature by further splitting GVC participation into forward and backward participations and finding that only forward GVC participation significantly impacts an emerging country’s innovation performance. These findings suggest that policymakers in emerging countries should prioritize improving GVC position through increased R&D expenditures rather than relying solely on excessive GVC participation for enhancing innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Thakur, Rahul & Sharma, Sakshi, 2025. "Does global value chain participation and position lead to innovation in an emerging economy? Industry-level evidence from Indian manufacturing industries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:186:y:2025:i:c:s0148296324004934
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114989
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296324004934
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114989?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Choorikkad Veeramani & Garima Dhir, 2022. "Do developing countries gain by participating in global value chains? Evidence from India," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 158(4), pages 1011-1042, November.
    2. Buciuni, Giulio & Pisano, Gary, 2021. "Variety of Innovation in Global Value Chains," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(2).
    3. Richard Baldwin & Rebecca Freeman & Angelos Theodorakopoulos, 2023. "Hidden Exposure: Measuring US Supply Chain Reliance," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 54(2 (Fall)), pages 79-167.
    4. Minsoo Lee & Raymond Gaspar & Huiyan Du, 2021. "Enabling an Innovation Ecosystem and Participation at the Higher End of Global Value Chains," Asian Development Review (ADR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 38(02), pages 123-157, September.
    5. Andrea Morrison & Carlo Pietrobelli & Roberta Rabellotti, 2008. "Global Value Chains and Technological Capabilities: A Framework to Study Learning and Innovation in Developing Countries," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(1), pages 39-58.
    6. Zhou, William Chongyang & Yan, Daying & Sun, Sunny Li, 2022. "Climbing the Ladder: Inward Sourcing as an Upgrading Capability in Global Value Chains," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(3).
    7. Jo Thori Lind & Halvor Mehlum, 2010. "With or Without U? The Appropriate Test for a U‐Shaped Relationship," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 72(1), pages 109-118, February.
    8. P., Jithin & Ashraf, Sania, 2023. "Global value chain participation and CO2 emissions: Does economic growth matter? New evidence from dynamic panel threshold regression," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    9. Pietrobelli, Carlo & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2011. "Global Value Chains Meet Innovation Systems: Are There Learning Opportunities for Developing Countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 1261-1269, July.
    10. Ito, Keiko & Ikeuchi, Kenta & Criscuolo, Chiara & Timmis, Jonathan & Bergeaud, Antonin, 2023. "Global value chains and domestic innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(3).
    11. Charlotte Keijser & Michiko Iizuka, 2018. "Looking Beyond Global Value Chains in Capacity Development: The Case of the IT-Enabled Service (ITES) Sector in South Africa," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(3), pages 442-461, July.
    12. Giuliani, Elisa & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2005. "Upgrading in Global Value Chains: Lessons from Latin American Clusters," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 549-573, April.
    13. Mauro Boffa & Marion Jansen & Olga Solleder, 2021. "Participating to Compete: Do Small Firms in Developing Countries Benefit from Global Value Chains?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-25, February.
    14. David Roodman, 2009. "How to do xtabond2: An introduction to difference and system GMM in Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 9(1), pages 86-136, March.
    15. Carolina Calatayud & María Engracia Rochina Barrachina, 2023. "How do firms in Sub‐Saharan Africa benefit from global value chains?," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 91(2), pages 214-241, June.
    16. Mariarosaria Agostino & Emanuele Brancati & Anna Giunta & Domenico Scalera & Francesco Trivieri, 2020. "Firms' efficiency and global value chains: An empirical investigation on Italian industry," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 1000-1033, April.
    17. Rasmus Lema & Roberta Rabellotti & Padmashree Gehl Sampath, 2018. "Innovation Trajectories in Developing Countries: Co-evolution of Global Value Chains and Innovation Systems," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 30(3), pages 345-363, July.
    18. Karishma Banga, 2023. "Global value chains and product sophistication in developing countries; the case of Indian manufacturing," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 509-536, May.
    19. Minsoo Lee & Raymond Gaspar & Huiyan Du, 2021. "Enabling an Innovation Ecosystem and Participation at the Higher End of Global Value Chains," Asian Development Review (ADR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 38(02), pages 123-157, September.
    20. Ronald Hirshhorn, 2015. "Getting Value from Global Value Chains ¡VA Canadian Perspective," Transnational Corporations Review, Ottawa United Learning Academy, vol. 7(1), pages 1-21, March.
    21. Andrzej Cieślik & Jan Jakub Michałek & Krzysztof Szczygielski & Jacek Lewkowicz & Jerzy Mycielski, 2021. "Foreign Ownership and Within-MNEs GVC Participation as Determinants of Innovation Activities: A CIS-Based Firm-Level Analysis," Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, Central European Journal of Economic Modelling and Econometrics, vol. 13(2), pages 189-211, June.
    22. Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash, 2024. "Global value chains, productivity and markup: Evidence from India," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 250-271.
    23. Gopalan, Sasidaran & Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash, 2022. "Does digitalization spur global value chain participation? Firm-level evidence from emerging markets," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    24. Emanuele Brancati & Raffaele Brancati & Andrea Maresca, 2017. "Global value chains, innovation and performance: firm-level evidence from the Great Recession," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(5), pages 1039-1073.
    25. Ketan Reddy & Radeef Chundakkadan & Subash Sasidharan, 2021. "Firm innovation and global value chain participation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1995-2015, December.
    26. Kailan Tian & Erik Dietzenbacher & Richard Jong‐A‐Pin, 2022. "Global value chain participation and its impact on industrial upgrading," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 1362-1385, May.
    27. Arellano, Manuel & Bover, Olympia, 1995. "Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 29-51, July.
    28. Gaaitzen de Vries & Quanrun Chen & Rana Hasan & Zhigang Li, 2019. "Do Asian Countries Upgrade in Global Value Chains? A Novel Approach and Empirical Evidence," Asian Economic Journal, East Asian Economic Association, vol. 33(1), pages 13-37, March.
    29. Torres de Oliveira, Rui & Nguyen, Tam & Liesch, Peter & Verreynne, Martie-Louise & Indulska, Marta, 2021. "Exporting to escape and learn: Vietnamese manufacturers in global value chains," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    30. Liu, Huizheng & Zong, Zhe & Hynes, Kate & De Bruyne, Karolien, 2020. "Can China reduce the carbon emissions of its manufacturing exports by moving up the global value chain?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    31. Yamashita, Nobuaki & Yamauchi, Isamu, 2019. "The effects of offshore production on onshore innovation: Evidence from Japanese multinationals," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    32. Cuervo-Cazurra, Alvaro & Pananond, Pavida, 2023. "The rise of emerging market lead firms in global value chains," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    33. Jean, Ruey Jer “Bryan” & Kim, Daekwan & Bello, Daniel C., 2017. "Relationship-based product innovations: Evidence from the global supply chain," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 127-140.
    34. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    35. Gideon Ndubuisi & Solomon Owusu, 2021. "How important is GVC participation to export upgrading?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(10), pages 2887-2908, October.
    36. Zhi Wang & Shang-Jin Wei & Xinding Yu & Kunfu Zhu, 2017. "Characterizing Global Value Chains: Production Length and Upstreamness," NBER Working Papers 23261, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    37. Hyelin Choi & Semin Kim & Taehwan Jung, 2019. "The Role of Innovation in Upgrading in Global Value Chains," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(3), pages 273-283, July.
    38. Stephanie Kremer & Alexander Bick & Dieter Nautz, 2013. "Inflation and growth: new evidence from a dynamic panel threshold analysis," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 861-878, April.
    39. Pleticha, Petr, 2021. "Who Benefits from Global Value Chain Participation? Does Functional Specialization Matter?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 291-299.
    40. Sinkovics, Noemi & Liu, Chia-Ling (Eunice) & Sinkovics, Rudolf R. & Mudambi, Ram, 2021. "The dark side of trust in global value chains: Taiwan’s electronics and IT hardware industries," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    41. Kwon, Hyeog Ug & Park, Jungsoo, 2018. "R&D, foreign ownership, and corporate groups: Evidence from Japanese firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(2), pages 428-439.
    42. Karishma Banga, 2022. "Impact of global value chains on total factor productivity: The case of Indian manufacturing," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 704-735, May.
    43. Roberta Piermartini & Stela Rubínová, 2021. "How much do global value chains boost innovation?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(2), pages 892-922, May.
    44. Ambos, Björn & Brandl, Kristin & Perri, Alessandra & Scalera, Vittoria G. & Van Assche, Ari, 2021. "The nature of innovation in global value chains," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    45. Andreoni, Antonio & Tregenna, Fiona, 2020. "Escaping the middle-income technology trap: A comparative analysis of industrial policies in China, Brazil and South Africa," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 324-340.
    46. Pierluigi Montalbano & Silvia Nenci & Carlo Pietrobelli, 2018. "Opening and linking up: firms, GVCs, and productivity in Latin America," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 917-935, April.
    47. Aleksandra Kordalska & Magdalena Olczyk, 2023. "Upgrading low value-added activities in global value chains: a functional specialisation approach," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(2), pages 265-291, April.
    48. Hu, Dianxi & Jiao, Jianling & Tang, Yunshu & Xu, Yuwen & Zha, Jianrui, 2022. "How global value chain participation affects green technology innovation processes: A moderated mediation model," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    49. Robert Koopman & William Powers & Zhi Wang & Shang-Jin Wei, 2010. "Give Credit Where Credit Is Due: Tracing Value Added in Global Production Chains," NBER Working Papers 16426, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nenci, Silvia & Fusacchia, Ilaria & Giunta, Anna & Montalbano, Pierluigi & Pietrobelli, Carlo, 2022. "Mapping global value chain participation and positioning in agriculture and food: stylised facts, empirical evidence and critical issues," Bio-based and Applied Economics Journal, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA), vol. 11(2), July.
    2. Emanuele Brancati & Carlo Pietrobelli & Caio Torres Mazzi, 2024. "The Influence of value chain governance on innovation performance: A study of Italian suppliers," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 14(2), pages 319-344, June.
    3. Karishma Banga, 2022. "Impact of global value chains on total factor productivity: The case of Indian manufacturing," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 704-735, May.
    4. Zicheng Ma & Liang Wang & Xin Zheng & Jianqi Zhang, 2022. "National Innovation Systems and Global Value Chain Participation: The Role of Entrepreneurship," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(2), pages 897-920, April.
    5. Stojčić, Nebojša & Matić, Matija, 2024. "A journey toward global value chain upgrading: Exploring the transition from backward to forward integration," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    6. Reddy, Ketan & Sasidharan, Subash, 2024. "Global value chains, productivity and markup: Evidence from India," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 250-271.
    7. Pasquali, Giovanni & Krishnan, Aarti & Alford, Matthew, 2021. "Multichain strategies and economic upgrading in global value chains: Evidence from Kenyan horticulture," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    8. Samargandi, Nahla & Fidrmuc, Jan & Ghosh, Sugata, 2015. "Is the Relationship Between Financial Development and Economic Growth Monotonic? Evidence from a Sample of Middle-Income Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 66-81.
    9. Delera, Michele & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Calza, Elisa & Lavopa, Alejandro, 2022. "Does value chain participation facilitate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in developing countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    10. Ketan Reddy & Radeef Chundakkadan & Subash Sasidharan, 2021. "Firm innovation and global value chain participation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1995-2015, December.
    11. Gideon Ndubuisi & Solomon Owusu, 2023. "Trade for catch-up: examining how global value chains participation affects productive efficiency," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 195-215, April.
    12. R. Boschma & Eduardo Hernández-Rodríguez & A. Morrison & C. Pietrobelli, 2021. "Do global value chains and local capabilities matter for economic complexity in EU regions?," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2139, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Dec 2021.
    13. Owusu, Solomon, 2021. "Powering structural transformation and productivity gains in Africa: The role of global value chains and resource endowments," MERIT Working Papers 2021-022, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    14. Qusai Mohammad Qasim Alabed & Fathin Faizah Said & Zulkefly Abdul Karim & Mohd Azlan Shah Zaidi & Mohammed Daher Alshammary, 2021. "Energy–Growth Nexus in the MENA Region: A Dynamic Panel Threshold Estimation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-18, November.
    15. Carlo Pietrobelli & Roberta Rabellotti & Ari Van Assche, 2021. "Making sense of global value chain-oriented policies: The trifecta of tasks, linkages, and firms," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(3), pages 327-346, September.
    16. Wannaphong Durongkaveroj, 2023. "Emphasis on domestic value added in export in the era of global value chain: evidence from Thailand," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 50(3), pages 703-729, September.
    17. Rawan Elshaarawy & Riham A. Ezzat, 2023. "Global value chains, financial constraints, and innovation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 223-257, June.
    18. Ndubuisi, Gideon & Owusu, Solomon, 2021. "Wage effects of global value chains participation and position: An industry-level analysis," MERIT Working Papers 2021-042, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    19. Carlos Carreira & Luís Lopes, 2016. "Collecting new pieces to the regional knowledge spillovers puzzle: high-tech versus low-tech industries," GEMF Working Papers 2016-06, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    20. Hammoudeh, Shawkat & Tiwari, Aviral Kumar & Abakah, Emmanuel Joel Aikins & Adeabah, David, 2023. "Global value chains in sub-Saharan Africa: The role of business regulations, policies and institutions," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:186:y:2025:i:c:s0148296324004934. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.