Foreign direct investment and spillovers of technology
Foreign direct investment and spillovers of technology
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DOI：
10.1504/ijtm.2001.002972
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发表时间：
2001
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Magnus Blomström;A. Kokko
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Magnus Blomström;A. Kokko
本文总结了有关外国直接投资与技术转移和扩散之间联系的一些文献。我们认为，最近许多辩论中假定的外国直接投资的积极影响不是自动产生的，外国直接投资的影响将因东道国的特点和政策而异，经济政策在最大限度地发挥外国直接投资的潜在好处方面可以发挥作用。许多发展中国家传统上依靠各种财政奖励措施以及业绩和技术转让要求来吸引外国跨国公司并控制其业务。然而，如果大多数本地公司使用的技术与外国人使用的技术非常不同，这些措施可能不足以产生显著的知识溢出。文件中审查的研究报告提出了东道国政策的另外两个领域。首先，支持当地技术能力和劳动力技能的政策可能会促进外国跨国公司的技术溢出。这不仅是因为当地产业吸收外国技术的能力提高了，而且更熟练的当地劳动力降低了跨国公司内部公司内部技术转移的成本，这可能会鼓励附属公司从母公司进口更多的技术。其次，确保外国分支机构在竞争环境中运营的政策似乎至关重要。受贸易或进入壁垒保护的外国跨国公司可以负担得起使用过时技术的费用，但仍能产生可观的利润，而不会产生太多有价值的知识和技能向当地公司传播。相比之下，面对国内或国际竞争的外国跨国公司必须不断调整其运营和技术，以适应不断变化的市场条件，这为当地产业创造了更大的溢出潜力。
This paper summarises some of the literature on the links between FDI and the transfer and diffusion of technology. We argue that the positive effects of FDI postulated in much of the recent debate are not automatic, that the effects of FDI will vary depending on the host country's characteristics and policies, and that there is a role for economic policy in maximising the potential benefits of FDI. Many developing countries have traditionally relied on a combination of various fiscal incentives and performance and technology transfer requirements to attract foreign multinational firms and to control their operations. However, these measures may not be sufficient to generate significant knowledge spillovers if the majority of local firms employ technologies that are very different from those used by foreigners. The studies reviewed in the paper suggest two additional areas for host country policy. Firstly, policies to support local technological capability and labour skills may facilitate spillovers of technology from foreign MNCs. The reason is not only that the local industry's ability to absorb foreign technology improves, but also that a more skilled local labour force reduces the costs of intra-firm technology transfer within the MNC, which is likely to encourage affiliates to import "more" technology from their parents. Secondly, policies to ensure that the foreign affiliates operate in a competitive environment appear to be essential. Foreign MNCs that are protected by trade or entry barriers can afford to employ obsolete technologies and still generate significant profits, without generating much diffusion of valuable knowledge and skills to local firms. Foreign MNCs facing national or international competition, by contrast, must continuously adjust their operations and technologies to changing market conditions, which creates a greater potential for spillovers to local industry