How Much do Technological Gap, Firm Size, and Regional Characteristics Matter for the Absorptive Capacity of Italian Enterprises?

Abstract

The absorptive capacity—the ability of enterprises to efficiently absorb and internalise knowledge from outside sources—represents the link between firms’ capabilities to implement new products and the external stock of technological opportunities, such as those gleamed from Multinational Enterprises (MNEs). This paper explores whether the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the productivity of Italian domestically-owned firms (DOFs) is dependent on their absorptive capacity. In particular, given the peculiar characteristics of the Italian productive system, our analysis focuses on three different dimensions of the absorptive capacity: the size of the technological gap between foreign-owned firms (FOFs) and DOFs, firm size, and the regional distribution of firms. Our findings suggest that technological gap and firm size matter considerably for the spillover effect. Moreover, spillovers exhibit a sub-national dimension present only in the northeastern region of the peninsula.


Autore Pugliese

Tutti gli autori

  • Imbriani C. , Pittiglio R. , Reganati F. , Sica EDGARDO CRISTIANO

Titolo volume/Rivista

INTERNATIONAL ADVANCES IN ECONOMIC RESEARCH


Anno di pubblicazione

2014

ISSN

1083-0898

ISBN

Non Disponibile


Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile


Numero di citazioni Scopus

6

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile


Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile