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Technology capital transfer

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  • Thomas J. Holmes
  • Ellen R. McGrattan
  • Edward C. Prescott

Abstract

It is widely believed that an important factor underlying the rapid growth in China is increased foreign direct investment (FDI) and the transfer of foreign technology capital, which is accumulated know-how from investment in research and development (R&D), brands, and organizations that is not specific to a plant. In this paper, we study two channels through which FDI can contribute to upgrading of the stock of technology capital: knowledge spillovers and appropriation. Knowledge spillovers lead to new ideas that do not directly compete or devalue the foreign affiliate?s stock. Appropriation, on the other hand, implies a redistribution of property rights over patents and trademarks; the gain to domestic companies comes at a loss to the multinational company (MNC). In this paper we build these sources of technology capital transfer into the framework developed by McGrattan and Prescott (2009, 2010) and introduce an endogenously-chosen intensity margin for operating technology capital in order to capture the trade-offs MNCs face when expanding their markets internationally. We show that economic outcomes differ dramatically depending on the source of greater openness and the channel with which technology capital transfer is operative.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas J. Holmes & Ellen R. McGrattan & Edward C. Prescott, 2011. "Technology capital transfer," Working Papers 687, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedmwp:687
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Lee Branstetter & Ray Fisman & C. Fritz Foley & Kamal Saggi, 2023. "Does intellectual property rights reform spur industrial development?," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Kamal Saggi (ed.), Technology Transfer, Foreign Direct Investment, and the Protection of Intellectual Property in the Global Economy, chapter 13, pages 307-316, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Qing & Lu, Ruosi & Zhang, Chao, 2014. "Entrepreneurship and spillovers from multinationals: Evidence from Chinese private firms," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 95-106.

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