This paper presents a qualitative study on the adoption of early information technologies, such as typewriters, calculators or Hollerith machines in US manufacturing in the period between 1870 and 1930, which was by all means a true systemic innovation. Our empirical work is guided by a...

This paper focuses on the analysis of size distributions of innovations, which are known to be highly skewed. We use patent citations as one indicator of innovation significance, constructing two large datasets from the European and US Patent Offices at a high level of aggregation, and the...

Some industries are characterised by networks of small and specialized firms with porous boundaries, while in some other industries large diversified hierarchies with concrete boundaries are a more dominant form of organization. Some other industries are combinations of these. In this paper, a...

Using semiparametric and nonparametric estimation techniques we infer cost distributions and informational rents from 457 snow removal contracts o¤ered for tender by the City of Montreal. Our results are compatible with standard received theory of competitive auctions: there is a positive...

This paper models the formation of R&D networks in an oligopolistic industry. In particular, it focuses on the coevolutionary process involving firms’ technological capabilities, market structure and the network of interfirm technological agreements.The main result of the paper is that the R&D...

One consequence of the internationalisation of R&D, particularly in high-tech sectors such as chemicals and pharmaceuticals, may be the transfer of foreign technology from the multinational to other firms in its home country. This phenomenon, which may be termed inter-firm reverse technology...

Theories and models on product life cycles explain and depict the evolution of an industry''s structural and dynamic properties over its lifetime. Hence, empirically observed intersectoral differences may stem from different evolutionary stages that industries occupy. The aim of this paper is to...

This paper examines the relationship between the location of R&D and production activities. By using a sample of 799 Japanese investments in Europe, it distinguishes between affiliates performing only R&D, both R&D and production, and production only. The analysis produces two main results....