The aim of this paper is to investigate the differences between specific motives of R&D investment in foreign locations with
respect to the factors influencing the likelihood of foreign R&D and to the impact of foreign presence on the parent firms'
innovativeness and productivity. An econometric analysis of Swiss firm panel data shows, firstly, that factors related to
firm-specific knowledge-oriented advantages are more important for explaining the likelihood of foreign R&D activities than
factors reflecting disadvantages related to home location. Secondly, knowledge-oriented motives of foreign R&D are positively
correlated to innovation performance of domestic firms, whereas market-oriented and resource-oriented strategies correlate
positively with productivity.
Forschungsbereich:Industrie-, Innovations- und internationale Ökonomie