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Overseas R&D Activities by Multinational Enterprises: Evidence from Japanese Firm-Level Data

Author

Listed:
  • Yasuyuki Todo
  • Satoshi Shimizutani

Abstract

This paper investigates both the determinants and the impact of overseas subsidiaries' R&D activities, using firm-level panel data for Japanese multinational enterprises. We distinguish between overseas innovative and adaptive R&D and find substantial differences between the two types of R&D. The evidence suggests that overseas innovative R&D aims at the exploitation of foreign advanced knowledge, and by doing so, it helps to raise the productivity of the parent firm. In contrast, the primary role of overseas adaptive R&D is to enhance the productivity of overseas subsidiaries through the use of parent firms' knowledge. In addition, we find no complementarity between home and overseas innovative R&D, i.e., no evidence that overseas innovative R&D raises the marginal effect of home R&D on home productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Yasuyuki Todo & Satoshi Shimizutani, 2005. "Overseas R&D Activities by Multinational Enterprises: Evidence from Japanese Firm-Level Data," Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series d05-91, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hst:hstdps:d05-91
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    File URL: http://hi-stat.ier.hit-u.ac.jp/research/discussion/2005/pdf/D05-91.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bas, Christian Le & Sierra, Christophe, 2002. "'Location versus home country advantages' in R&D activities: some further results on multinationals' locational strategies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 589-609, May.
    2. Johannes Van Biesebroeck, 2007. "Robustness Of Productivity Estimates," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 529-569, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Neil Foster-McGregor, 2012. "Innovation and Technology Transfer across Countries," wiiw Research Reports 380, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    2. Shimizutani, Satoshi & Todo, Yasuyuki, 2008. "What determines overseas R&D activities? The case of Japanese multinational firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 530-544, April.
    3. Dachs, Bernhard, 2017. "Internationalisation of R&D: A Review of Drivers, Impacts, and new Lines of Research," MPRA Paper 83367, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    overseas R&D activities; multinational enterprises; total factor productivity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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