全球价值链和技术能力一个框架研究学习和创新在发展中国家外文原文.pdfVIP

Oxford Development Studies, Vol. 36, No. 1, March 2008 Global Value Chains and Technological Capabilities: A Framework to Study Learning and Innovation in Developing Countries ANDREA MORRISON, CARLO PIETROBELLI ROBERTA RABELLOTTI ABSTRACT This paper presents a critical review of the global value chain (GVC) literature in light of the “technological capabilities” approach to innovation in less-developed countries (LDCs). Participation in GVC is beneficial for firms in LDCs, which are bound to source technology internationally. However, the issues of learning and technological efforts at the firm level remain largely hidden in the GVC literature. We propose a shift in the empirical and theoretical agenda, arguing that research should integrate the analysis of the endogenous process of technological capability development, including specific firm-level efforts, and of the mechanisms allowing knowledge to flow within and between different global value chains into the GVC literature. 1. Introduction Nowadays, nobody would resist the contention that learning and innovation are key determinants of competitiveness and growth for nations, regions, clusters and firms. Sometimes, more sophisticated observers might stress that competitiveness is affected by firm-specific attitudes and actions together with the meso and macroeconomic contexts in which firms are located. Yet, these ideas need to be incorporated into analysis in a consistent fashion, and this has been achieved only occasionally, and perhaps more effectively by business scholars than by economists. In developing countries (LDCs), following an established line of research exploring the international sources of development—e.g. learning by exporting, foreign direct investment (FDI) spillover (Barba Navaretti Venables, 2004)—the global value chain