Rapid changes in the international division of labour have made industrial policy again an important topic. This paper discusses the EC policies as defined in the Maastricht agreements and recent approaches to industrial policy. Because Austria's economy is closely linked to that of the EC these...

In a study for the Federal Ministries of State Industries and Transport as well as of Science and Research WIFO, together with other research institutions, has undertaken a comprehensive evaluation of the 1985-1987 Federal Government technology promotion schemes concentrating on microelectronics...

Innovation based on R&D has emerged as a major factor determining the competitive performance of business firms. However, R&D activities may have an observable impact on economic performance not only in the firms performing those activities, but may "spill over" to other firms, possibly located...

In a long-term perspective, world trade expands much faster for high-technology manufactures than for goods with low technological content. Compared with other advanced industrialized countries, Austria exhibits a substantial "technological gap" in its foreign trade: 1. The share of...

The long duration of the current economic upswing has smoothed most regional economic imbalances. A tight labour market in the western part of Austria has helped laggards, such as Styria, to catch up; only Vienna is falling behind. The manufacturing sector, the engine of growth in the other...

Die österreichischen Industrieunternehmen wurden nach dem Kriterium der Ähnlichkeit ihrer Patentstrukturen zu Gruppen zusammengefaßt. Diese technologischen Cluster sind typischerweise jeweils nur mit einigen wenigen Unternehmen besetzt. Das Ausmaß potentiell nutzbarer externer Effekte...

Direct government aid and fiscal incentives for research and development each have distinctive advantages and disadvantages. An appropriate mix adjusted to prevailing conditions may increase the efficiency of the system of government aid. As a matter of fact, the majority of OECD countries...

As a highly developed, high-wage country, Austria faces new challenges in a globalizing economy. Austria will only be able to maintain its position in the club of high-income countries if it is able to achieve a high productivity level through the use of new technologies and by taking advantage...

In order to establish guidelines for technology policy and promotion a set of "clusters", i.e., inter-related industrial activities, each representing a combination of high technological and economic competitiveness has been elaborated for Austria. Generally speaking, such clusters are not...

The Fall Investment Survey of WIFO indicates that manufacturing, electricity companies as well as public transportation and utilities invested less than planned. In 1992, all three sectors intend to step up their capital outlays. The construction sector, which has not been affected by the...