世界银行-企业网络与全球技术扩散（英）-2024.9-52页_4mb

Firm Networks and Global Technology Diffusion Summary

1. Introduction

   • Key Players in Diffusion: Multinational corporations (MNCs) and global value chains (GVCs) are pivotal drivers of cross-country technology diffusion.
   • Data Challenge: Detailed panel data on technology adoption and firm networks is scarce, limiting understanding.
   • Approach: The study combines online job postings data (digital proxies for technology adoption) across 17 countries with firm network data (supply chain, innovation partnerships) from 2014-2022.

2. Key Findings

   • Technology Concentration: About one-third of emerging tech jobs stem from MNCs (e.g., Fortune 500) and their supply chains. Tech jobs are highly concentrated in multinationals and their networks.
   • Geographic Favoritism: Initially, tech jobs spread faster to wealthier and geographically closer regions, but this advantage diminishes over time as technologies diffuse widely.
   • Role of Networks: Pre-existing buyer and innovation partner relationships outside corporate boundaries are critical for accelerating technology diffusion. Affiliate links have little impact.
   • Ownership Matters: Diffusion is more significant for firms with external relationships (different ultimate owners) than internal ones.

3. Conclusions

   • Firm networks, especially buyer and innovation partnerships, drive technology diffusion beyond geography or ownership.
   • Policy implications include leveraging MNC networks and partnerships in R&D efforts for better global technology dissemination.