Globalisation of Technology

This book examines the globalisation of technology and innovation in the modern world. Enterprises globalise in several ways, e.g. by exporting, sourcing components and materials from other countries (B2B commerce), outsourcing, licensing their technologies and production, and foreign direct investments (FDI). Transaction costs and location advantages play a crucial role in selecting the best mode of globalisation. A number of important questions – like what are the pull and push factors contributing to FDI, does outward FDI from a developing country like India contribute to participation in international production networks, and does FDI mitigate business cycle co-movements – keep cropping up in the growing body of knowledge on the globalisation of technology. This book addresses these issues, as well as the consequences of FDI – in particular, with regard to technology, productivity, and R&D spillovers. Issues related to innovations, R&D, intra-industry trade, and knowledge management are also discussed.

N.S. Siddharthan is an Hon. Professor at the Madras School of Economics, Chennai and Hon. Director, Forum for Global Knowledge Sharing. His current research interests include technology and globalisation, international economics, multinational corporations, and industrial organisation. He has published several papers in journals such as The Economic Journal, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, The Journal of Development Studies, Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Applied Economics, Development and Change, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Journal of Business Venturing, Japan and the World Economy, Journal of International and Area Studies, International Business Review, Developing Economies, Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv, Transnational Corporations, The Indian Economic Review, The Indian Economic Journal, and Sankhya. He has also authored books with publishers such as Springer, Routledge, Oxford University Press, Macmillan, Allied, Academic Foundation and New Age International Publishers.

K. Narayanan obtained his PhD in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, India, and carried out his post-doctoral research at the Institute of Advanced Studies, United Nations University, Japan. His research interests and publications are in the fields of industrial competitiveness, technology transfer, ICT, international trade, energy economics and the socio-economic impacts of climate change. He has published in several journals, including Research Policy, Journal of Regional Studies, Technovation, Oxford Development Studies, Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Foreign Trade Review, Transnational Corporations Review, The Journal of Energy and Development, Water Policy, Current Science, and Economic and Political Weekly. He has jointly edited six books on globalization, investments, skills and technology. He also guest edited special issues of journals such as The IASSI Quarterly, Science, Technology and Society, and Innovation and Development. He is actively engaged in a web-based research group, Forum for Global Knowledge Sharing, which brings together scientists, technologists and economists. Dr Narayanan is currently Institute Chair Professor at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.