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Decomposing technological change at the twilight of the twentieth century: evidence and lessons from the world's largest innovating firms.


by Mendonca, Sandro^Fai, Felicia

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SANDRO MENDONCA

Department of Economics

ISCTE Lisbon University

Institute, Spain, and SPRU, University of Sussex, England

FELICIA FAI

School of Management

University of Bath, England

Endnote

(1) The aggregated technology classification used here does not distinguish between Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology. Had a lower level of technological classification been employed, a more significant growth in biotechnology is likely to have been detected. We thank the anonymous reviewer for bringing this point to our attention. TABLE 1: CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND CORE TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

Patents

outside

CTFs (1991 Industry Core Technical Fields (CTFs) /96) (%) Aerospace Aircraft, General Non-electrical 74.0

Industrial Equipment, Power Plants Chemicals Organic Chemicals, Agricultural 47.0

Chemicals, Drugs & Bioengineering Computers Computers, Semiconductors, 25.1

Telecommunications, Image & Sound

Equipment Electrical/ Telecommunications, Semiconductors, 39.3 Electronics Electrical Devices, Computers, Image &

Sound Equipment Food, Drink Food & Tobacco, Chemical Processes, 42.6 & Tobacco Drugs & Bioengineering Machinery General Non-electrical Industrial 62.0

Equipment, Metallurgical & Metal

Working Equipment, Chemical Apparatus,

Vehicles Engineering, Mining Machinery Materials Materials 69.5 Metals Metallurgical & Metal Treatment

Processes, Materials, Metallurgical 66.5

& Metal Working Equipment Mining & Organic Chemicals, Inorganic Chemicals, 58.3 Petroleum Mining Machinery Motor Vehicles Vehicles Engineering, General Non- & Parts electrical Industrial Equipment, Other 63.6

transport Equipment Paper Materials, Specialised Machinery 57.7 Pharmaceuticals Organic Chemicals, Drugs & 30.2

Bioengineering Photography Photography & Photocopy, Instruments & 65.3 & Photocopy Controls Rubber & Plastics & Rubber Products, Materials 45.1 Plastics All industries Core technical fields 48.3 Source: SPRU database, own calculations. Note: Correspondence between industries and 'core technical fields' drawn from Patel (1999). TABLE 2: STRUCTURAL DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS ACROSS INDUSTRIES 1981/85 TO 1991/96 Industry TS ST GA SA [DELTA]Mj Computers 1.68 2.62 0.46 -0.06 4.69 Photography & Photocopy 2.61 1.18 0.55 -0.23 4.1 Electrical/Electronics -2.18 4.15 -0.67 0.12 1.43 Machinery 1.03 -0.62 0.02 -0.24 0.19 Food, Drink & Tobacco 0.39 -0.26 0.01 -0.08 0.05 Paper -0.12 -0.08 -0.02 0.02 -0.21 Rubber & Plastics -0.12 -0.14 -0.01 0.02 -0.25 Metals -0.32 -0.48 0.04 0.09 -0.67 Aerospace -0.49 -0.20 -0.16 0.04 -0.80 Pharmaceuticals -0.70 -0.29 0.01 0.15 -0.83 Motor Vehicles & Parts 0.16 -1.04 -0.03 -0.02 -0.93 Materials -0.98 -0.19 -0.04 0.15 -1.06 Chemicals 0.54 -2.77 -0.04 -0.17 -2.44 Mining & Petroleum -1.51 -1.87 -0.12 0.23 -3.27 Source: SPRU database, own calculations. TABLE 3: BROAD TECHNOLOGY GROUPS

Fine Chemicals Chem Pharm Materials InOrChem OrgCh Drugs Materials

AgrCh ChePro

Hydroc

Bleach

Plastic ChemApp Chemicals Mechanical Transport ICT InOrChem NonElMach VehiEngi Telecoms

AgrCh SpecMach OthTran Semicond

Hydroc MetalWEq Aircraft Computers

Bleach AssHandApp Image&Sou

Plastic Mining ChemApp

Electrical

& Chemicals Instruments Other InOrChem Instrumen Medical

AgrCh Photog&C MiscMetProd

Hydroc ElectrDevi Metallu Pro

Bleach ElEquip Nuclear

Plastic PowerP ChemApp Food&T

TextWood

etc.

Other (weap

etc.) TABLE 4: DIVERSIFIED TECHNOLOGIES' STRUCTURAL DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS, 1981/85 TO 1986/90 Technologies TS ST GA SA [DELTA]Mj ICT 2,37 1,54 0,51 -0,11 4,31 Other 1,33 0,13 0,04 -0,04 1,46 Materials 0,97 0,10 0,08 -0,09 1,07 Elect & Inst 0,38 0,22 -0,08 -0,05 0,47 Transport 0,02 -0,01 0,00 0,01 0,01 Pharmaceutical &

Biotech 0,04 0,02 -0,05 -0,03 -0,02 Mechanical -0,96 -0,01 -0,08 0,06 -1,00 Chemicals -1,89 -1,15 -0,09 0,16 -2,97 Fine Chem -2,25 -0,84 -0,31 0,08 -3,32 Source: SPRU database, own calculations. TABLE 5: DIVERSIFIED TECHNOLOGIES' STRUCTURAL DECOMPOSITION ANALYSIS, 1986/90 TO 1991/96 Technologies TS ST GA SA [DELTA]Mj ICT 1,22 1,96 0,09 -0,06 3,21 Fine Chem 1,44 -0,34 0,05 -0,16 1,00 Materials 0,38 0,29 -0,07 -0,02 0,58 Pharmaceutical &

Biotech 0,22 -0,03 0,01 -0,02 0,18 Transport 0,00 -0,09 -0,01 -0,01 -0,10 Chemicals 0,04 -0,56 -0,01 -0,03 -0,56 Elect & Inst -0,22 -0,62 -0,03 0,01 -0,87 Other -1,25 -0,22 -0,03 0,12 -1,38 Mechanical -1,82 -0,40 0,00 0,17 -2,05 Source: SPRU database, own calculations.


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