International and Intersectoral R&D Spillovers in the OECD and East Asian Economies

Abstract

This study empirically explores international and intersectoral R&D spillover effects on the total factor productivity growth of manufacturing and nonmanufacturing sectors based on a pooled time‐series data set of 14 OECD economies and 3 East Asian economies—Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. The study finds that foreign manufacturing R&D has strong influence on domestic productivity growths of both sectors and that domestic manufacturing R&D has a substantial intersectoral R&D spillover effect on domestic nonmanufacturing productivity growth. The social rates of return to manufacturing R&D are estimated to be two to six times greater than the private rates of return.