Working Paper: NBER ID: w9438
Authors: Lee Branstetter; Yoshiaki Nakamura
Abstract: This paper investigates changes in the output and productivity of research and development activities in Japanese manufacturing firms over the 1980s and 1990s. Evidence from aggregate patent and R&D statistics and a micro-level analysis of R&D productivity at the firm-level suggest that there has been a slowdown in the growth of Japanese research productivity in the 1990s. The paper goes on to suggest possible explanations for this slowdown and reviews some of the steps Japanese firms are taking to increase the effectiveness of their R&D. The paper presents empirical evidence concerning the impact of one of these steps the creation of technology alliances with U.S. firms on Japanese innovative output.
Keywords: Japanese R&D; innovation; patents; technology alliances
JEL Codes: I24; O32; O33
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| R&D inputs (O39) | R&D outputs (O32) |
| slowdown in R&D productivity (O39) | decline in innovative capacity (O39) |
| technology alliances with U.S. firms (L24) | innovative output (O36) |
| institutional factors (D02) | innovative capacity (O36) |
| PhD-level engineers shortage (J23) | slowdown in R&D productivity (O39) |
| industry type (L89) | R&D productivity growth (O49) |