Jorge Niosi

National systems of innovations are "x-efficient" (and x-effective): Why some are slow learners

The growing literature on national systems of innovations (NSIs) are creating a crucial new perspective on the institutional infrastructure of the knowledge-based economy. However, this literature tends to be somewhat optimistic: it often takes for granted that NSIs are sets of institutions facilitating learning, particularly about technology and organization. This paper reconsiders the efficiency of NSIs. It suggests that NSIs are “x-inefficient” (and x-effective). It develops some of the major factors explaining inefficiencies and proposes methods to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of NSIs. It offers some examples of inefficiencies from a comparison between selected NSIs, and suggests indicators of efficiency and effectiveness.

Alliances are not enough explaining rapid growth in biotechnology firms

Abstract The goal of this paper is to understand the factors explaining differential growth in biotechnology firms. It aims also to add some caution to the generalized opinion according to which alliances are the key factor behind new firm performance. The theoretical framework is based on competence, and evolutionary theories of the firm. These approaches underline the fact that within similar industries and technologies firms display clear and persistent variety in performance. Some 60 dedicated biotechnology firms (DBFs) were interviewed across Canada; half of them experienced rapid growth. A few variables, including alliances, explained much of the fast growth.

Aerospace Clusters: Local or Global Knowledge Spillovers?

The literature about regional innovation systems, clusters and industrial districts insists on the importance of local knowledge spillovers. Nevertheless, more recently a few authors have put in question the importance of local knowledge spillovers. This paper provides an analysis of some of the most dynamic aerospace clusters in the world, located in Montreal, Seattle, Toulouse and Toronto. We start by discussing theories of clustering, then provide research questions as well as empirical evidence on the international nature of knowledge spillovers. Local knowledge spillovers are less significant, of a different nature, and they may make a scanty contribution to explain the geographical agglomeration of firms. Conversely, international spillovers help to explain the relative dispersion of industry across nations. Resilient geographical clustering is related to the anchor tenant effects as creators of labour pools and owners of very large manufacturing plants creating regional inertia. We thus reject the local knowledge spillover explanation of aerospace clusters in favour of another one based on anchor firms and their effects on the local labour pool.

The global interdependence of national innovation systems: Evidence, limits, and implications

Abstract The authors discuss the concept of a national system of innovation (NSI) in the context of increased globalization in scientific and technological activities. The international dimension of NSI is reviewed, and, for some of the largest industrial countries, the importance of the internationalization ofscience and technology, as opposed to their internal or domestic production and diffusion, is estimated. A working definition of the concept of NSI and some of the theoretical issues at stake are presented. Some major dimensions of the globalization of science and technology are addressed. These dimensions are then measured using American, Canadian, and Western European data. The importance of international innovative processes in relation to NSIs is compared with that of the domestic ones.

Technology Transfer to China: The Issues of Knowledge and Learning

The aspect of effectiveness of technology transfer to developing countries still raises important questions from researchers and practitioners alike. Many of these questions pertain to the nature of knowledge and of the learning process. The first question for this paper is what forms of knowledge are transferred abroad by companies. The second question is what are the characteristics of the learning process in recipient firms during technology transfer. Twenty-eight Canadian manufacturing firms were interviewed. Seven case studies were also conducted in China.Our results demonstrate that tacit knowledge constitutes a substantial part of the total knowledge transferred by Canadian firms to China. The nonexplicit nature of knowledge leaves room for numerous problems of interpretation, not only at the technical and managerial level, but also at the more global level of national culture and institutions. Our findings tend to validate the evolutionary and cognitivistic positions on the nature of knowledge. The results also partly confirm our sequential model of learning.

Small-firm formation in biotechnology: A comparison of France, Britain and Canada

Abstract A comparison is made of the pattern of emergence, survival and growth of small biotechnology firms in France, Britain and Canada, using surveys in the three countries. These data are compared in turn with what is known about US biotechnology firms from the literature. Although the literature suggests that the appearance of new industries based on the emergence of new, small high-technology firms is a US phenomenon, evidence is presented of a nearly comparable pattern of small firm commercialisation of biotechnology in the three countries studied, relative to the size of the countries. However, the Canadian, French and British firms appeared 1–4 years later than the US firms, and are still somewhat weaker. While the US is generally held to have an entrepreneurial culture and a supportive private finance industry providing venture capital, which provide a stimulus to new high-technology firm formation, in the other three countries public policy — to a greater or lesser extent — made up for the relative lack of an entrepreneurial culture and private-sector finance. Differences in the financial institutions and instruments of public policy in all four countries are analysed. In each of them, networks of cooperation between other organisations, including established firms, also played an important role in the survival of the small biotechnology firms. Unlike the microelectronics experience, there was a complementary role for new and established, large and small firms, and the large established firms in end-user industries have not been pushed aside by the new dedicated biotechnology firms. Some of the new firms have grown and been successful; in some cases the complementary role has now been overtaken, and some of the small firms have been taken over by established ones.

Biotechnology Megacentres: Montreal and Toronto Regional Systems of Innovation

Canada hosts two major diversified biotechnology regional systems of innovation in its two largest cities. Similar in many respects, they display some particular characteristics. We review here the main theories on regional innovation systems and innovative clusters and proceed to analyse these two regional systems before concluding on the usefulness of several theories to study biotechnology regional innovation systems.|spagf|ro|epagf|

Science-based industries: a new Schumpeterian taxonomy

Abstract Science-based industries (SBIs) are the fastest-growing sector of the knowledge economy. SBIs have been categorized in traditional Schumpeterian typologies that are unable to explain their many differing industrial dynamics. However, new concepts already exist to improve our understanding of SBIs, including many coming from evolutionary theories (such as technological trajectories, path dependence, lock-in, self-reinforcing mechanisms, etc.), to develop the main theoretical issues, including a new typology, of these industries. Such is the goal of this paper.

Anchor tenants and regional innovation systems: the aircraft industry

The concept of anchor tenant was advanced to explain the emergence of regional systems of innovation. The anchor tenant is an organisation, often a large innovative firm or a research university or public laboratory that produces knowledge externalities in the region where it is located. The anchor produces such effects by spinning off new companies and attracting other ones. This paper argues that the dynamics of the anchor may help to explain the subsequent evolution of the region. It also maintains that anchor tenants are attracted to or created in regions that possess some favourable conditions and that such conditions are industry specific.

Technology transfer to developing countries through engineering firms: The Canadian experience

Abstract This article presents the results of an empirical study conducted on some 50 major international projects conducted by the 36 largest Canadian consulting engineering firms in developing countries. The study concludes that — contrary to the neoclassical assumption of cost-free information adoption — technology transfer costs are positive and mostly concentrated in the area of training; it also finds that successful transfers involves a specific set of capabilities and are usually conducted through joint ventures between the transferor and the transferee, that successful transferees often conduct research and development, do not suffer from host-government restrictions, and are not usually located in Africa.