Suchergebnisse

The aim of this paper is to analyze the technological activities of Central and Eastern European (CEE) economies and to compare them with the technological activities of other world regions. Using data from the EPO World Wide Statistical Database for the period 1980-2009 the analysis is based on counts of priority patent applications over time. In terms of priority patent applications, CEE reduced its technological activities drastically in absolute and per capita terms after 1990. The level of priority patent applications in this world region maintained more recently a stable level below the performance of EU15, South EU and the former USSR. In what concerns technological specialization, the results suggest a division of labor in technological activities among world regions where Europe, Latin America and the former USSR are mainly specializing in sectors losing technological dynamism in the global patent activities (Chemicals and/or Mechanical Engineering) while North America, the Middle East (especially Israel) and Asia Pacific are increasingly specializing in Electrical Engineering, a sector with strong technological opportunities.

Abstract
This paper develops a framework for policymakers supporting sustainable development through international collaboration in science, technology, and innovation (STI). The approach can be applied to derive the national policy strategy for international collaboration in STI. The contribution focuses on the case of Germany in the field of food and agriculture. Accordingly, considering Germany's current strategic approach for international collaboration in STI, an evidence-based tool for priority setting in the selection of potential partners and technology fields is developed and implemented. More specifically, the approach assesses the opportunity environment for international STI collaboration of Germany with potential partners using patent and economic indicators to capture technological capabilities, technological demand, economic relevance of food, and agriculture in national economies as well as technological and export specialization in food and agriculture. The results present policy strategies enhancing sustainable development.

This paper analyses the determinants of spatial distribution of foreign technological activity across 96 German regions (1996-2009). We identify foreign inventive activity by applying the 'cross-border-ownership concept' to transnational patent applications. The descriptive analysis shows that foreign technological activity more than doubled during the observation period with persistent spatial heterogeneity in Germany. Using a pooled count data model, we estimate the effect of various sources for externalities on the extent of foreign technological activity across regions. Our results show that foreign technological activity is attracted by technologically specialised sectors of regions. In contrast to existing findings this effect applies both to foreign as well as domestic sources of specialisation. We show that the relation between specialisation and foreign technological activity is non-linear and that it is influenced by sectoral heterogeneity. Externalities related to technological diversification attract foreign R&D only into 'higher order' regions.

The initial opening of China and India coupled with the opening of the former socialist countries in the 1990s led to the integration of 40% of the global labour force into the world economy, causing large-scale effects regarding market integration, catching up, and income distribution. This trend has been defined as 'Shifting wealth I' (OECD, 2010, OECD, 2015). However, today, there is some uncertainty as to whether this process will continue, i.e. whether emerging economies will continue their process of technological upgrading and move from efficiency to innovation-driven growth. Whether we will observe 'Shifting Wealth II' or the further growth of emerging economies will ultimately depend on whether the productivity growth of emerging economies will be associated with further upgrades in technology. In addition, technology upgrading was, until recently at least, to some extent positively connected with the prevailing liberalized trade regime. Currently there are political developments around the world which represent a threat to the established trade system by way of increasing national protectionism which might impact future upgrading in one way or the other.

Das ostdeutsche Forschungs- und Innovationssystem ist einerseits durch eine gut ausgebaute öffentliche Wissenschaftsinfrastruktur und andererseits durch ein relativ niedriges Niveau an industrieller Forschung und Entwicklung (FuE) charakterisiert. So erreichen die FuE-Ausgaben in der ostdeutschen Wissenschaft – gemessen am Bruttoregionalprodukt – das Niveau der Alten Bundesländer, während die FuE-Ausgaben der ostdeutschen Industrie deutlich unter Westniveau liegen. Ursächlich dafür ist die nach wie vor kleinteilig geprägte ostdeutsche Wirtschaft, es fehlen Großunternehmen und Konzernzentralen. Industrielle FuE geht daher in Ostdeutschland im Wesentlichen von kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) aus. Diese können jedoch die Lücke, die durch die fehlende FuE der Großunternehmen entsteht, nicht komplett schließen. An dieser Stelle setzen die externen Industrieforschungseinrichtungen (IFE) an. Sie sind gemeinnützig und verstehen sich als FuE-Dienstleister. Die Ergebnisse ihrer FuE-Tätigkeit stellen sie der Allgemeinheit zur Verfügung, führen jedoch auch Aufträge der Privatwirtschaft aus. Im Vergleich zu kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen verfügen die IFE über deutlich größere FuE-Einheiten und können ein wesentlich breiteres Kompetenzfeld anbieten. Der Fokus liegt dabei auf Hochtechnologien. Im ostdeutschen Innovationssystem sind sie ein wichtiger Akteur und unterstützen ostdeutsche KMU in deren Innovationsbemühungen.