Theoretical models of growth reveal that either exogenous or endogenous, technology is the main driving force behind the long-run economic growth. Furthermore, in the endogenous growth framework, diffusion of technology is the basic mechanism of per capita income convergence among countries....

Promotion of foreign direct investment (FDI) and trade liberalization on both global and regional levels has been considered to be beneficial for the economic development of developing countries. Current WTO rules support regional trade liberalization and prohibit certain trade-related...