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One of the actions taken to mitigate the climate change is research, development and demonstration (RD&D) investments in renewable energy (RE) technology. In addition to domestic RD&D spending, the import of foreign technologies, as a main channel of technology transfer, is another option to obtain higher share of renewable energies in order to achieve climate objectives. In this study, a panel dataset of 28 OECD member countries from 2011 to 2020 is analyzed, using the OLS, fixed-effects, and two-step system GMM methods, to assess the impacts of public spending on renewable energy RD&D (RERD) and the import of renewable energy technologies on the energy-related CO2 emissions. To fully capture the significant regional differences, the 28 countries are re-divided into four regions in accordance with their renewable energy RD&D investment level and total CO2 emissions. This study uniquely investigates the impact of RERD and importation–as an alternative channel for obtaining renewable energy technologies–on energy-related CO2 emissions in OECD countries, while also analyzing regional differences to inform targeted local policies. The findings reveal that CO2 emission is significantly and negatively affected by renewable energy imports, for the full panel as well as for Low-RERD and Low-Emission regions. Furthermore, only in High-RERD and High-Emission regions can renewable energy RD&D decrease CO2 emissions. Accordingly, some policy implications are recommended concerning investments in renewable energy RD&D and renewables import. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current knowledge‐intensive economy, a firm's intellectual capital refers to its idiosyncratic internal and external knowledge‐related assets. While technological knowledge is a major constituent of intellectual capital, past research has often equated it with technological capability. However, technological capability includes not only codified knowledge, but also tacit know‐how that is not captured by formal intellectual property. We argue that while a firm's patents might serve as a proxy for measuring its base of technological knowledge, they are not a good proxy for a firm's technological capabilities. Therefore, we offer a novel approach based on a machine learning technique to capture a biopharmaceutical firm's technological capabilities using the clinical trials that it carries out. Picturing a hypothetical journey where firms transform and exploit technological knowledge to move towards building technological capabilities, we address a research gap on the link between a firm's depth and breadth of technological knowledge on the one hand, and its technology diversity on the other. Analyzing a sample of 204 biopharma firms from 2006 to 2018, we find a positive relationship between the breadth of technological knowledge and technology diversity in a firm. In contrast, the relationship between the depth of technological knowledge and technology diversity is negative. We also find that in the presence of product/market diversification, the positive relationship between the breadth of technological knowledge and technology diversity is stronger. Implications for research and practice are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of renewable energy technologies and sectoral transformation can open green windows of opportunity for latecomer countries to leapfrog. The present study focuses on analyzing the relationship between the knowledge dimensions of the sectoral innovation system – including localization, diversity, concentration, and originality – and the outcomes of the catching-up process in the renewable energy sector. In this way, we distinguish between successful latecomers and leader countries. The study analyzed data from a panel of 15,600 patents in these countries from 2000 to 2015 and examined the quantitative indexes of knowledge dimensions. To illustrate the outputs of the catching-up process, we use two dependent variables: renewable equipment export and renewable electricity generation. The findings show how the evolution of knowledge dimensions impacts technological catch-up in both leader and successful latecomer countries in different ways. While knowledge localization is crucial in leader countries, latecomer countries benefit from concentration and originality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Motivation: Neither state planning nor economic liberalization has allowed developing economies to escape from the middle‐income trap, owing mainly to institutional voids and hindering institutions. We need another explanation for development and the emergence of new institutions. Purpose: How have biopharmaceutical enterprises emerged in Iran, despite the obstacles faced? Can the collaborative agency of small groups of actors who know each other create new institutions and hence the conditions for biopharmaceutical firms to emerge? If so, who participates in such small groups, and how do they operate? Methods and approach: We interviewed 29 key participants and stakeholders in the Iranian bio‐pharma industry. We used grounded theory to identify key themes. Findings Bio‐pharma emerged owing to the efforts of a small group who successfully worked together to master the technology, to overcome institutional obstacles and widespread scepticism within Iran, and thereby to create new firms manufacturing biopharmaceuticals. The group succeeded because it was morally committed to creating the industry; it proceeded pragmatically, experimenting and learning; and leadership was shared and collective. Policy implications: In this case, we see the inverse of a top‐down process where government acts as principal and firms act as agents. Instead, strategic collaboration across government, university and firms, in a process of trial and error, has been able to make great progress to overcome obstacles to technical innovation that seem daunting for a middle‐income country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]