Aggregate convergence and sectoral specialization in innovation

Over the last 20 years OECD countries have converged in terms of their innovations, in parallel to the process of economic convergence and catching up in technology. However, this has not led to a similarity in the sectoral strengths of the majority of countries. Applying a measure of ‘technological distance’ between pairs of countries based on patents, it is shown that nations have increased their technological specialization (i.e. their sectoral differences) over the 1980s. An apparent paradox is pointed out, as countries converge by becoming more different and grow by becoming more specialized.

[1]  A. Maddison,et al.  Phases of capitalist development , 1983 .

[2]  Luc Soete,et al.  The impact of technological innovation on international trade patterns: The evidence reconsidered* , 1987 .

[3]  E. Wolff,et al.  Convergence of Industry Labor Productivity among Advanced Economies, 1963-1982 , 1988 .

[4]  John Cantwell,et al.  Technological Innovation and Multinational Corporations , 1989 .

[5]  Hubert Curien,et al.  Technology and the Future of Europe , 1988 .

[6]  Christopher Freeman,et al.  Small Countries Facing the Technological Revolution , 1988 .

[7]  M. Porter.  The Competitive Advantage Of Nations , 1990 .

[8]  Frederic M. Scherer,et al.  The propensity to patent , 1983 .

[9]  Frederic M. Scherer.  International high-technology competition , 1992 .

[10]  G. Dosi,et al.  Technical Change and Economic Theory , 1989 .

[11]  Daniel A. Levinthal,et al.  Innovation and Learning: The Two Faces of R&D , 1989 .

[12]  Jan Fagerberg,et al.  A technology gap approach to why growth rates differ , 1987 .

[13]  M. Abramovitz.  Catching Up, Forging Ahead, and Falling Behind , 1986, The Journal of Economic History.

[14]  Vivien Walsh,et al.  Technology and the economy -- the key relationships : (Organisation for economic co-operation and development, Paris, 1992) pp. 328, 260 FF , 1994 .

[15]  Luc Soete,et al.  Technology and growth: the complex dynamics of catching up, falling behind and taking over , 1993 .

[16]  A. Maddison,et al.  Dynamic forces in capitalist development , 1991 .

[17]  Daniele Archibugi,et al.  Patenting as an indicator of technological innovation: a review , 1992 .

[18]  Daniele Archibugi,et al.  The Technological Specialization of Advanced Countries , 1992 .

[19]  B. Lundvall.  National Systems of Innovation , 1992 .

[20]  Edward N. Wolff,et al.  Productivity and American Leadership: The Long View , 1989 .