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Innovation défensive et concurrence internationale ; suivi d'un commentaire de Sébastien Jean

Author

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  • Mathias Thoenig
  • Thierry Verdier
  • Sébastien Jean

Abstract

[spa] Innovación defensiva y competencia internacional . . El rol del comercio y del progreso técnico en el alza de las desigualdades entre trabajadores cualificados y no cualificados en los países industrializados ha sido muy debatido en el transcurso del pasado decenio. Tratamos aquí de alimentarlo al poner de manifiesto dos aspectos olvidados. Primero se ha ido considerando de manera excesiva la mundialización a través del prisma de un mundo de competencia perfecta. En dicho mundo, el comercio internacional sólo puede jugar un rol relevante entre aquellos países cuyas dotaciones factoriales son lo suficientemente distintas y sólo mediante las variaciones de precios y grandes volúmenes de comercio. Esta visión está contrarrestada por la observación del comercio Norte-Sur. Por otra parte, se han opuesto muy a menudo mundialización e innovación técnica en cuanto dos procesos autónomos e independientes entre sí. En cuanto, por lo contrario, se admite la importancia de los fenómenos de competencia imperfecta que aparecen a través de unos «efectos no precio» de cambio tecnológico endógeno, mundialización y cambio técnico vienen a ser entonces dos dimensiones complementarias que explican los cambios de reparto de riqueza registrados. Este artículo presenta un mecanismo de innovación defensiva inducida por la abertura internacional. Dada la existencia de unas rentas monopolísticas que pueden ser destruidas por la imitación en países de bajos salarios o por la innovación en países del Norte, demostramos aquí que la abertura al comercio internacional puede generar la adopción de unas innovaciones orientadas hacia el trabajo cualificado para proteger la existencia de esas rentas. Dos tests del modelo propuestos sobre datos franceses confirman las implicaciones de este mecanismo. [ger] Defensive Innovation und internationaler Wettbewerb . . Im zurückliegenden Jahrzehnt war die Rolle des Handels und des technischen Fortschritts bei der Zunahme der Ungleichheiten zwischen qualifizierten und nicht qualifizierten Arbeitnehmern in den Industrieländern Anlass heftiger Diskussionen. Dieser Artikel soll einen Beitrag hierzu leisten, indem er zwei vernachlässigte Aspekte herausstellt. Zum einen wurde die Globalisierung allzu oft durch das Blickfeld eines vollkommenen Wettbewerbs gesehen. In einer solchen Welt kann der Welthandel eine signifikante Rolle nur zwischen Ländern mit ausreichend unterschiedlicher Faktorenzuweisung sowie bei Vorhandensein beträchtlicher Preisschwankungen und Schwankungen der Handelsvolumina spielen. Widerlegt wird diese Vision allerdings durch die Beobachtung des Nord/ Süd-Handels. Ferner wurden Globalisierung und technische Innovation oftmals als zwei eigenständige Prozesse einander gegenübergestellt, zwischen denen keine Wechselwirkung bestünde. Wenn man dagegen die Bedeutung der Phänomene des unvollkommenen Wettbewerbs, die durch «nicht preisliche» Effekte bei einer endogenen technologischen Veränderung auftreten können, anerkennt, werden Globalisierung und technischer Wandel zu zwei komplementären Dimensionen, die die festgestellten Veränderungen bei der Verteilung des Reichtums erklären. In diesem Artikel wird ein Mechanismus der defensiven Innovation als Folge der internationalen Öffnung präsentiert. Aufgrund des Vorhandenseins monopolistischer Renten, die durch die Imitation in Niedriglohnländern oder die Innovation in Ländern des Nordens zunichte gemacht werden, lässt sich aufzeigen, dass die Öffnung gegenüber dem Welthandel zu Innovationen führen kann, die zur qualifizierten Arbeit hin verzerrt werden, um diese Renten aufrechtzuerhalten. Zwei Modelle für Tests mit französischen Daten bestätigen die Auswirkungen dieses Mechanismus. [fre] Defensive Innovation and International Competition . . The role of trade and technological progress in the rise in inequalities between skilled and unskilled workers in the industrialised countries has generated an intense debate over the last decade. We set out to contribute to this debate by shedding light on two overlooked factors. First of all, globalisation has too often been viewed through the rose-coloured glasses of a perfectly competitive world. In such a world, international trade can only play a significant role between countries with sufficiently different factor endowments and only by means of large price variations and trade volumes. However, the observation of North-South trade contradicts this view. Secondly, globalisation and technological innovation have often been set apart as two independent processes with no interaction. When, however, the magnitude of the imperfect competition phenomena that can arise from the •non-price effects” of endogenous technological change is recognised, globalisation and technological progress become two complementary elements explaining the observed changes in the distribution of wealth. This paper presents a defensive innovation mechanism triggered by international trade openness. Taking the existence of monopolistic rents capable of being destroyed by imitation in low-wage countries and innovation in Northern countries, we show that international trade openness can prompt the adoption of innovations biased towards skilled labour to protect these rents. Two tests of the model based on French data confirm the implications of this mechanism.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathias Thoenig & Thierry Verdier & Sébastien Jean, 2003. "Innovation défensive et concurrence internationale ; suivi d'un commentaire de Sébastien Jean," Économie et Statistique, Programme National Persée, vol. 363(1), pages 19-32.
  • Handle: RePEc:prs:ecstat:estat_0336-1454_2003_num_363_1_7323
    DOI: 10.3406/estat.2003.7323
    Note: DOI:10.3406/estat.2003.7323
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Martin, John P & Evans, John M, 1981. "Notes on Measuring the Employment Displacement Effects of Trade by the Accounting Procedure," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 33(1), pages 154-164, March.
    2. Jeffrey D. Sachs & Howard J. Shatz, 1994. "Trade and Jobs in Manufacturing," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 25(1), pages 1-84.
    3. Olivier Cortes & Sébastien Jean, 2001. "L'impact du commerce international sur la productivité et la qualification du travail au sein des secteurs," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 111(2), pages 271-290.
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