The Structure of Canadian Inter-industry R&D Spillovers, and the Rates of Return to R&D

This paper estimates the effects of interindustry R&D spillovers on the production cost of nine major Canadian industries. Production costs in all nine are affected by spillovers and six industries are influenced by at least two different source industries. Rates of return to R&D capital for each industry are also estimated. Private rates of return on R&D are at least two and a half times those on physical capital. Rates of return on R&D, inclusive of spillovers, are also computed: for industries that are major sources of spillover, the spillover-inclusive returns are at least twice the private returns. Copyright 1989 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.