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Mobile Phone Innovation and Technology-driven Exports in Sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Simplice Asongu

    (Yaoundé/Cameroun)

Abstract

The study investigates how education, scientific output and the internet complement mobile phone penetration to affect technology commodity exports in Sub-Saharan Africa for the period 2000-2012. The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments. The following main findings are established. First, the internet complements the mobile phone to boost technology goods exports. Second, the internet also complements the mobile phone to boost technology service exports. Third, positive marginal effects are apparent in the roles of educational quality and scientific output on technology goods exports and technology service exports respectively while negative marginal impacts are apparent in the roles of scientific output and educational quality on technology goods exports and technology service exports respectively. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Simplice Asongu, 2017. "Mobile Phone Innovation and Technology-driven Exports in Sub-Saharan Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 17/042, African Governance and Development Institute..
    • Handle: RePEc:agd:wpaper:17/042
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    1. Allard, Gayle & Williams, Christopher, 2020. "National-level innovation in Africa," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(7).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technology exports; Knowledge Economy; Development; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L59 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Other
    • L98 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Government Policy
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa

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