Embodied Technology Transfer Research Articles

Technology Adoption Strategies in the Supply Chain: The case of Vietnamese Young Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

The paper, using a three-wave unbalanced panel of 3252 observations of young small and medium-sized firms in 2011–2013, examines the effect of direct linkages between firms with foreign direct investment and young small and medium-sized firms on technology adoption strategies and the further influence of technology transfers from such linkages on technology adoption strategies. Moreover, the paper analyzes the extent that economic obstacles may cause young small and medium-sized firms to choose different adoptions. Our analysis shows that exporting firms do not tend to conduct embodied backward/forward adoptions, but more likely adopt the embodied backward purchasing. In addition, the impact of competitiveness follows an inverse U-shaped pattern for the embodied backward adoption, but a U-shaped pattern for the disembodied adoption. In terms of market power, there exists an inversed U-shaped pattern for the embodied backward adoption. Under the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) linkages and vertical spillovers, it is found that technology transfer through backward/forward linkages is associated with the embodied ones, whereas a linkage with FDI domestic customers/suppliers is less likely associated with the embodied ones. In addition, under technology transfer, firms facing economic constraints may overcome these by looking for other financial sources and embodied technology transfer. The paper suggests the path for FDI firms, young small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and technology adoption strategies in the future.

Joint Effect of Knowledge and Process Embodied Technology Transfer on the Growth of Catering Micro and Small Catering Enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya

Globally, the small business sector has both the potential and the historic task of bringing millions of people from the survivalist level including the informal economy to the mainstream economy. To enhance this fact, Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) have invested in new technology resulting to experienced marked growth on terms of customers and profits. Among the prominent Technology transfer initiatives are knowledge and process embodied technology. However, no study has investigated the joint effect of knowledge and process embodied technology transfer on Micro and small enterprises growth. The specific objective of the study was to determine the joint effect of knowledge and processes of technology transfer on the growth of micro and small catering enterprises in Nairobi, Kenya. This study adopted descriptive research with mixed approaches. This method facilitated information among the Catering MSEs in Kenya. The target population of the study involved 11,162 respondents from the catering MSEs in Kenya. The study target population included Medium Restaurant, Small Restaurant with bar/Membership club, Mega eating houses, Snack Bar, Tea House ‘Hotel’, Medium eating House, Snack Bar Tea House ‘Hotel’, Small eating House, Snack bar, Tea House and ‘Other Catering and Accommodation’ in Kenya. The study involved both Stratified and simple random sampling method in the selection of the samples. A sample size of 384 was selected. The study utilized questionnaires as the main instrument of data collection. Pilot testing was carried out to establish both reliability and validity of research instruments. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. The Inferential statistical analysis of the results was done to determine whether or not there is a statistical relationship established between growth (the dependent variable) and the independent variables on the basis of the research questions. The study used the Logistic (or Logit) regression to establish the effects of the independent variables to enterprise growth. A summary of findings shows that individually and collectively, knowledge and processes transfer production are a significant predictor of firm growth. However, a combination of the two produced even greater results of growth. The study concluded that the joint effect of knowledge and processes of technology transfer leads to a higher growth than individual variables in micro and small catering enterprises in Kenya.

Embodied technology transfer and learning by exporting in the Ethiopian manufacturing sector

ABSTRACTThis paper examined the role of imported inputs, new capital goods and exporting on firm performance using micro data collected over 2000–2011 from manufacturing firms with 10 and above permanent employees in Ethiopia. Performance was measured in terms of labour productivity, total factor productivity (TFP) and TFP catch-up. In this paper, we argue that technologies embodied in imported inputs and new capital goods and export orientation are the crucial sources of learning and innovation, which enhance performance of firms in less-developed countries. The hypotheses developed along this argument were econometrically tested by applying a dynamic panel data technique. Results indicate that exporting, greater use of imported inputs and new capital goods significantly improved the productivity and TFP catch-up of firms. The positive productivity effects of imported inputs and new capital goods appeared to be higher for exporters than non-exporters. New capital goods were seen to play a greater role in embodied technology transfer than imported inputs. The findings generally suggest that improving access to imported inputs, encouraging investment in new capital goods and strengthening export orientation among manufacturing firms can help accelerate technology transfer and build local innovation capabilities towards Ethiopia’s desired structural transformation.

Measuring the elements of knowledge regimes and their links to technological catch-up: a synthesis based on the East Asian experience

This paper provides a review of the roles of knowledge access and learning as determinants of technological catch-up and focuses on the relationship between the quantifiable measures of elements of the knowledge regimes of sectors and the possibility of catch-up. Catching-up implications of the various elements of knowledge regimes are discussed, after grouping them into two categories: those related to accessibility to the foreign knowledge base (degree of embodied technology transfer and modularity) and those related to the learning possibilities (tacitness of knowledge and cycle time of technologies). We find that catch-up possibilities are positively linked to the accessibility to foreign knowledge base, the degree of embodied technology transfer, and modularity and that a higher degree of knowledge tacitness tends to interfere with learning possibility while the impact of cycle time of technologies would be dubious depending upon the absorption capacity of the latecomers. It is also pointed out that the impact of the knowledge regimes would be different on different types of firms. Policy implications and remaining issues are discussed.

Productivity growth, trade and FDI nexus: evidence from the Canadian manufacturing sector

Using the confined exponential and logistic models of technology diffusion, this paper investigates the roles played by international trade and FDI in explaining productivity growth through both technology transfer and domestic innovation, with the technology transfer also occurring independently. Using panel data on Canadian manufacturing industries, we first find a robust role for the autonomous and international trade embodied technology transfer in explaining TFP growth. Second, international trade and FDI (as well as research and development) all contribute to productivity growth through the rate of innovation. Finally, we find that the exponential and logistic models of technology diffusion may have different implications for the growth dynamics in a technologically lagging country.

Information age to genetic revolution: Embodied technology transfer and assimilation — A tale of two technologies

In this paper, a fifteen regions–fifteen sectors global Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model is calibrated. It offers quantitative enumeration of 5% exogenous biotechnological invention in USA in genetically modified crops namely, maize grains and soybean. Consequently, it results in endogenously transmitted productivity gains via traded intermediates in user sectors in donor and recipient regions. Sustained absorption and domestic usability of transgenic varieties depend on constellation of: human capital-induced absorptive capacity, governance, and structural congruence between source and recipients contingent on technology infrastructure and socio-institutional parameters. Such innovations result in higher production, welfare and global trade. Also, concomitant 4% exogenous productivity shock in information technology along with 5% productivity growth in the agro-biotech sectors further enhances such simulated impacts on global production and welfare. Regions with larger extent of technology capture aided by higher human capital, better governance, conducive institutional-structural features, and superior technological expertise perform better.

The impact of China’s WTO accession on patterns of world trade

This paper evaluates the impact of China’s WTO accession on patterns of world trade and economic growth by a recursive dynamic, 17-region, 25-sector computable general equilibrium (CGE) model with import embodied technology transfer based on actual market access commitments that China and Taiwan have made to date. The simulation results show that the major gains from WTO accession would accrue to China itself, but the rest of the world, especially developed countries and Asian newly industrialized economies, as well as least developed countries, would also benefit due to the expansion of world trade and improvement of their international terms of trade. Only certain developing countries with an endowment structure similar to China, like those in South America and Southeast Asia, may experience keener competition in labor-intensive exports and lower prices for their products.

Capturing the Implications of Services Trade Liberalization

This paper evaluates the impact of service sector trade liberalization on the world economy by a ten-region, eleven-sector CGE model with import embodied technology transfer from developed countries to developing countries. Simulation results show that service sector trade liberalization not only directly affects world service production and trade, but also has significant implications for other sectors in the economy. The major channel of the impact is through inter-industry input-output relations and TFP growth induced from services imported by developing countries from developed countries, which may be embodied with new information and advanced technology.

INTERSECTORAL TECHNOLOGY FLOWS. METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND EMPIRICAL APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a critical survey of the various methodologies dealing with intersectoral flows of technology.Firstly, we present the indirect methods based on the Input‐Output tables which are employed for the study of embodied technology transfer, with an application to Italy for the year 1982. Secondly, we sketch a formalization of Scherer's direct methodology. This is the most ambitious study of the intersectoral flows of innovations based upon an exstensive survey of the origin and use of patented innovations: strengths and weaknesses of such approach are outlined and the main empirical results are presented. Finally, we give some indications for merging the two methodologies in a more comprehensive approach, in accordance to the present understanding of the reality of the process of innovation diffusion.