Internal and External R&D: Complements or Substitutes? Evidence from a Dynamic Panel Data Model
KUL Working Paper No. OR 0604
21 Pages Posted: 15 Nov 2006
Date Written: 2006
Abstract
We examine the impact of internal and external R&D on labor productivity in a 6-year panel of 304 innovating firms. We apply a dynamic linear panel data model that allows for decreasing returns to scale in internal and external R&D with a non-linear approximation of changes in the knowledge stock. We find complementarity between internal and external R&D, with a positive impact of external R&D only evident in case of sufficient internal R&D. The findings confirm the role of internal R&D in enhancing absorptive capacity and hence the effective utilization of external knowledge. These results suggest that empirical studies examining complementarities between continuously measured practices should adopt more general non-linear specifications to allow for correct inferences.
Keywords: R&D, Panel data, Data, Model, Impact, Productivity, Innovating firms, Firms, Approximation, Knowledge, Empirical study, Studies, Specifications
JEL Classification: O32, O33, D24
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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