IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/oxdevs/v32y2004i4p559-583.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Internationalization of innovative capabilities: counter-evidence from the electronics industry in Malaysia and Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • Norlela Ariffin
  • Paulo Figueiredo

Abstract

The focus of this paper is the extent to which firms in the electronics industry in Malaysia and Brazil (Manaus) developed significant innovative technological capabilities. By examining whether innovative capabilities have spread to these two late-industrializing countries, the paper seeks to add new evidence to the debate over internationalization of innovative capabilities and to argue against existing generalizations. Internationalization of innovative capabilities is measured here by the technological capability types and levels built within firms. The framework for capability-building identifies types and levels of technological capabilities. The paper draws on empirical evidence from 82 electronics firms—transnational corporation subsidiaries and local firms: 53 in Malaysia (25 in Penang and 28 in Klang Valley) and 29 in Manaus (Northern Brazil). Empirical evidence was collected during extensive fieldwork based on different data-gathering strategies. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were used. Contrary to common generalizations, the study found that the capabilities of most sampled firms had been upgraded to carry out diverse innovative technological activities. Additionally, these capability-building efforts were strongly associated with higher capabilities for local decision-making and control, automation level and efforts to increase exports. The study found firms that innovated to be competitive by reducing costs, being more productive, reducing lead time and producing better products—regardless of whether they were in a domestic market-oriented country or in an export-oriented country. Finally, the analysis and framework in this study challenge some existing perspectives on the internationalization of innovative capabilities to the late-industrializing context.

Suggested Citation

  • Norlela Ariffin & Paulo Figueiredo, 2004. "Internationalization of innovative capabilities: counter-evidence from the electronics industry in Malaysia and Brazil," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 559-583.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:32:y:2004:i:4:p:559-583
    DOI: 10.1080/1360081042000293344
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1360081042000293344
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/1360081042000293344?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. Michael Hobday, 1995. "Innovation In East Asia," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 226.
    2. Paulo N. Figueiredo, 2001. "Technological Learning and Competitive Performance," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2373.
    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. Hansen, Ulrich Elmer & Lema, Rasmus, 2019. "The co-evolution of learning mechanisms and technological capabilities: Lessons from energy technologies in emerging economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 241-257.
    2. Figueiredo, Paulo N., 2008. "Industrial Policy Changes and Firm-Level Technological Capability Development: Evidence from Northern Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 55-88, January.
    3. Kiamehr, Mehdi, 2017. "Paths of technological capability building in complex capital goods: The case of hydro electricity generation systems in Iran," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 215-230.
    4. Li, Jing & Zhou, Changhui, 2008. "Dual-edged tools of trade: How international joint ventures help and hinder capability building of Chinese firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 463-474, October.
    5. Wei ZHAO & Rigas ARVANITIS, 2008. "L’INeGAL DeVELOPPEMENT INDUSTRIEL DE LA CHINE : CAPACITeS D’INNOVATION ET COEXISTENCE DE DIFFeRENTS MODES D’APPRENTISSAGE TECHNOLOGIQUE," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 28, pages 61-85.
    6. Dowling, Malcolm & Ray, David, 2000. "The structure and composition of international trade in Asia:: historical trends and future prospects," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 301-318, December.
    7. Markusen, James R. & Venables, Anthony J., 1999. "Foreign direct investment as a catalyst for industrial development," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 335-356, February.
    8. Heather Smith, 1999. "The Failure of Korea Inc," Agenda - A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, Australian National University, College of Business and Economics, School of Economics, vol. 6(2), pages 153-166.
    9. Can Huang & Naubahar Sharif, 2016. "Global technology leadership: The case of China," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 43(1), pages 62-73.
    10. Francesco Quatraro & Marco Vivarelli, 2015. "Drivers of Entrepreneurship and Post-entry Performance of Newborn Firms in Developing Countries," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 30(2), pages 277-305.
    11. Rajah Rasiah & Yap Xiao Shan, 2016. "Institutional support, technological capabilities and domestic linkages in the semiconductor industry in Singapore," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 180-192, January.
    12. Jahan Ara Peerally & John Cantwell, 2011. "The Impact Of Trade Policy Regimes On Firms' Learning For Innovation From Suppliers," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(01), pages 29-68.
    13. Tirta Mursitama, 2006. "Creating relational rents: The effect of business groups on affiliated firms’ performance in Indonesia," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 537-557, December.
    14. Lee, Ting-Lin & von Tunzelmann, Nick, 2005. "A dynamic analytic approach to national innovation systems: The IC industry in Taiwan," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 425-440, May.
    15. Bryan K. Ritchie, 2004. "Politics and Economic Reform in Malaysia," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 2004-655, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    16. Fu-Lai Tony Yu, 2009. "Taiwan's Entrepreneurs and International Coordination: Evolution of Global Production Network in Electronics and IT Industries," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(1), pages 49-62.
    17. repec:ilo:ilowps:369852 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. J H Chen & T S Jan, 2005. "A system dynamics model of the semiconductor industry development in Taiwan," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 56(10), pages 1141-1150, October.
    19. Hye-Ran Hwang & Jae-Yong Choung, 2014. "The Co-evolution of Technology and Institutions in the Catch-up Process: The Case of the Semiconductor Industry in Korea and Taiwan," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(9), pages 1240-1260, September.
    20. Alireza Naghavi, 2007. "Strategic Intellectual Property Rights Policy and North-South Technology Transfer," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 143(1), pages 55-78, April.
    21. Cusmano, Lucia & Morrison, Andrea & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2010. "Catching up Trajectories in the Wine Sector: A Comparative Study of Chile, Italy, and South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(11), pages 1588-1602, November.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:taf:oxdevs:v:32:y:2004:i:4:p:559-583. 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: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/CODS20 .

    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.