Title: Gaining metropolis-city competitiveness through innovations: the opinions of multinationals (2001–2006)

Authors: Linda Fung-Yee Ng, Chyau Tuan, An-Shan You

Addresses: Department of Decision Sciences and Managerial Economics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR. ' Department of Decision Sciences and Managerial Economics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR. ' Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, 7/622 Huaihai Zhonglu, Shanghai, 200090, China

Abstract: The recent literature on technology transfer, innovations and global competitiveness have emphasised the role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and its transmitting functions in transferring technology and facilitating innovations in the host country. This paper examines the role of innovations in gaining competitiveness at the city level in the context of a global economy and knowledge-based society using opinion surveys conducted annually since 2001 by involving over 1200 CEOs in the two representative metropolis-cities in China, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The research findings show that innovations are critical to global competitiveness, with FDI playing a critical role. Implications on the innovation factors and governmental and scientific policies in directing the future paths of business innovations were drawn.

Keywords: international competitiveness; innovation; China; globalisation; investment environment; foreign direct investment; FDI; knowledge society; multinationals; learning; technology transfer; government policy; science policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKL.2008.022888

International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, 2008 Vol.4 No.6, pp.553 - 566

Published online: 31 Jan 2009 *

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