Intellectual Returnees as Drivers of Indigenous Innovation: Evidence from the Chinese Photovoltaic Industry

Siping Luo, Mary Lovely and David Popp

No 19518, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We offer new evidence on indigenous innovation and intellectual returnees by estimating the relationship between patenting by Chinese photovoltaic firms and the presence of corporate leaders with international experience. Our research approach combines data from three sources: the industrial census, international and domestic patent records, and leadership biographical information. Using nonlinear methods, we find robust evidence that returnees positively influence patenting activity and also promote neighboring firm innovation. We find no tendency for export intensive firms to patent more. Controlling for R&D expenditures, we find that firms with returnees in leadership roles have more patents.

JEL-codes: O30 O31 O32 Q42 Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-ino, nep-ipr, nep-pr~, nep-tid and nep-tra
Note: EEE PR
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Published as Siping Luo & Mary E. Lovely & David Popp, 2017. "Intellectual returnees as drivers of indigenous innovation: Evidence from the Chinese photovoltaic industry," The World Economy, vol 40(11), pages 2424-2454.

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