10
Internationalization of Innovative Activity
A third discussion group, led by Mary Ellen Mogee of Mogee Research and Analysis Associates, considered how to improve tracking and analysis of the internationalization of research and development and the influence of global corporate operations on domestic innovative activity and economic development. Participants mentioned that in addition to collecting cross-national investment data, there is a need to capture flows of information and human resources across national borders and a growing need for better research and innovation data from less developed Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries, some of them, such as Mexico, apparently deriving large benefits from relatively low R&D intensities.
Fred Gault noted that some analysts view the global nature of innovation and R&D performance as linkages between local regions, such as Silicon Valley, with clusters of high-technology enterprises, rather than as transactions across national boundaries. Other participants agreed that innovation data should be collected with sufficient geographic detail to enable analysis of such relationships.
Dominique Guellec of OECD Secretariat staff reported that following a June 1996 conference on new science and technology indicators, the OECD Secretariat developed a list of nine topics meriting increased attention to improve understanding of the international knowledge-based economy. In some cases, promising tools have been identified but are yet to be designed:
- The circulation of knowledge embodied in human resources;
- The circulation of disembodied knowledge as indicated by copatenting and patent citations;
- The economic value of innovation, including weighting of patents;
- The international science system;
- Science and technology in the services, especially with a focus on financial services;
- Innovative systems in small firms;
- Innovative and absorptive capacity of firms;
- The extent of cross-national internationalization of industrial R&D; and
- Government support to industrial R&D and innovation.