This paper contributes the economics of knowledge and innovation with the analysis of the knowledge cost function and sheds light on the determinants of the large variance in the cost of innovation across firms. The amount and the structure of external knowledge and the internal stocks of...

This paper explores the role of external knowledge and internal stocks of knowledge in the generation of new technological knowledge. It relies on the notion of recombination and brings together three concepts: the appreciation of current expenses in R&D activities; the analysis of the role of...

This work elaborates a dynamic version of the H-O model based upon the hypothesis that technological change is endogenous and biased towards the most intensive use of production factors that are locally most abundant in comparative terms. In the standard H-O model, the difference in the levels...

This paper contributes the analysis of the persistence of innovation activities, as measured by different innovation indicators and explores its path dependent characteristics. The empirical analysis of firm level innovative activities for a sample of 451 Italian manufacturing companies observed...

In this paper we articulate and test the hypothesis that TFP is a reliable and relevant measure of firm’s innovation capabilities, and, as such, accounts for Tobin’s q indicator. With this aim, we investigate empirically the relationship between firm level total factor productivity and the...

The paper is an attempt to provide an interpretation of the Italian puzzle in the post-WWII era consisting of very low levels of expenditure in R&D and yet high TFP growth. The research aims to supply the basic tools and the framework for a better understanding of the Italian industry innovation...

Internal labour markets and industrial relations in Continental Europe are characterized by substantial rigidity of employed labour. The rigidity of employed labor adds and augments the irreversibility of fixed capital. This rigidity affects both the rate and the direction of technological...

The features of the industrial system within which innovation processes take place affect the pace and the characteristics of the innovation processes and influence their evolution. The analysis of the industrial structure and of the innovation strategies of firms cannot be separated. The...