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Digital Technologies and Product Upgrading in Global Value Chains: Empirical Evidence from Indian Manufacturing Firms

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  • Karishma Banga

    (Overseas Development Institute)

Abstract

This paper provides empirical evidence on the impact of digitalisation on product upgrading in Global Value Chains (GVCs). Analysis is done for a sample of Indian manufacturing GVC firms in the period 2001–2015 from the firm-level database Prowess, using the methodology of System Generalised Method of Moments. Product upgrading is captured by a novel sales-weighted average product sophistication indicator constructed at the firm level. Digitalisation is captured through a digital capability index, constructed using principal component analysis, which draws information on both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ digital assets for firms. Empirical results indicate that an increase in digital capability of an Indian GVC firm has a significant and positive impact on its product sophistication, implying that by investing in digital capabilities, Indian manufacturing firms can produce better and more sophisticated products in GVCs, enabling them to upgrade and climb up the value-chain ladder. Firms that are Digital Leaders produce 4–5% more sophisticated goods than Digital Laggards.

Suggested Citation

  • Karishma Banga, 2022. "Digital Technologies and Product Upgrading in Global Value Chains: Empirical Evidence from Indian Manufacturing Firms," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(1), pages 77-102, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:34:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1057_s41287-020-00357-x
    DOI: 10.1057/s41287-020-00357-x
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    3. Fei Wang & Linwei Ye, 2023. "Digital Transformation and Export Quality of Chinese Products: An Analysis Based on Innovation Efficiency and Total Factor Productivity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Ketan Reddy & Subash Sasidharan, 2022. "Servicification and global value chain survival: Firm‐level evidence from India," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(3), pages 455-473, September.
    5. Ketan Reddy & Subash Sasidharan, 2023. "Digitalization and global value chain participation: firm-level evidence from Indian manufacturing," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 50(3), pages 551-574, September.
    6. Ma, Dan & Tang, Jiaqi & Jiang, Xuemei, 2023. "Effects of digital global value chain participation on CO2 emissions embodied in digital exports: New evidence from PSTR approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    7. Yu, Huan & Yao, Li, 2024. "The impact of digital trade regulation on the manufacturing position in the GVC," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    8. Changqing Lin & Shengpeng Xiao & Pingjuan Tang, 2024. "Does Artificial Intelligence Improve Export Technical Complexity Upgrade of Manufacturing Enterprises? Evidence from China," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Digital technologies; Global value chains; Upgrading; Indian manufacturing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F6 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization
    • 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
    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance

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