What makes Chinese firms productive? Learning from indigenous and foreign sources of knowledge

Arbeitspapier

This study investigates how in-house R&D as well as access to national and foreign knowledge sources influences the productivity of Chinese firms. For our main analysis we use data for 1,140 patenting firms listed at mainland China stock exchanges over the time-period 2001-2010. In-house R&D based on indigenous knowledge does indeed improve productivity as does engaging in joint research projects with national partners. In order to benefit from international knowledge, Chinese firms are dependent on an organizational integration of the knowledge source. Joint ventures with foreign partners, acquisitions of foreign firms, and employing foreign researchers inside China contribute to firm productivity, whereas international joint research projects are not sufficient. Our results indicate that at the current stage of China's economic development the absorptive capacity of most firms is sufficient to benefit from foreign sources of knowledge only if an enduring, deep relationship supports the absorption of the knowledge.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Frankfurt School - Working Paper Series ; No. 196

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Management of Technological Innovation and R&D ; Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
• Subject: indigenous innovation ; China ; knowledge sources ; productivity ; absorptive capacity ; patents

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Boeing, Philipp ; Mueller, Elisabeth ; Sandner, Philipp
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
• (where): Frankfurt a. M.
• (when): 2012

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/64613
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET