Title: Technology upgrading in Chinese manufacturing - a cross-industry perspective

Authors: Guowei Dong; Björn Jindra; Ari Kokko

Addresses: Department of International Economics, Government and Business, Copenhagen Business School, Porcelænshaven 24A, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark ' Department of International Economics, Government and Business, Copenhagen Business School, Porcelænshaven 24A, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark; Chair of Innovation and Structural Change, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics, University of Bremen, Max-von-Laue-Str. 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany ' Department of International Economics, Government and Business, Copenhagen Business School, Porcelænshaven 24A, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark

Abstract: This explorative article contributes by investigating technology upgrading in 23 manufacturing industries in China 1995-2015. We find not only industry-specific trends in the intensity of technology upgrades but also variations in terms of global interactions. Whereas, Chinese manufacturing industries differ considerably when it comes to the relevance of foreign actors for the commercialisation of frontier technology, the sourcing of foreign technology by Chinese actors remains low in all industries. In addition, we find positive relations between the intensity of technology upgrading and imports, inward FDI, and outward FDI at the industry level. However, there are no strong signs of a corresponding link between technology upgrading and revealed comparative advantages in exports. Moreover, we find only weak evidence of faster technology upgrading in the industries identified as 'strategic' by the Chinese Government.

Keywords: technology upgrading; manufacturing; China; trade; foreign direct investment; FDI; industrial policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTLID.2022.128922

International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, 2022 Vol.14 No.4, pp.341 - 379

Received: 08 Jan 2022
Received in revised form: 16 Jun 2022
Accepted: 16 Jun 2022
Published online: 10 Feb 2023 *

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