The Impact Of Research And Development On Long Term Economic Growth

The conditions for sustainable growth and development are among the most debated topics in economics, and the consensus is that institutions matter greatly in explaining why some economies are more successful than others over time. This book explores the relationship between economic conditions, growth, and inequality.

The research underlying this volume was designed to test the theory of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) in contemporary context. Developed by Nobel Prize-winning economist, Robert Solow, in the 1950s, TFP has been applied by many economists to investigate the relationships among capital, labor, and economic performance. In this analysis, John Wetter presents the hypothesis that technological investment drives growth and performance of the U.S. economy. The study addresses four key questions: 1. Is there a relationship between Total Factor Productivity and Gross National Product? 2. Is there a relationship between Total Factor Productivity and Research & Development expenditures? 3. Is there a relationship between Research & Development expenditures and Gross Domestic Product? 4. Can the relationship in research question #1 be explained by other factors? Is there any potential non-spuriousness (mediation) implication to the relationship? Synthesizing the literature from related fields, including macroeconomics, technology transfer, and innovation, and applying rigorous methodology, Wetter demonstrates that Total Factor Productivity is positively related to Gross Domestic Product and is mediated by Research & Development. In addition, he reveals that the lag time between R&D spending and GDP growth averages eleven years, which suggests that long-term planning is essential to maximizing the benefits of R&D. Wetter considers the implications for policymaking and industry leadership, including such timely issues as the effects of the 2009 U.S. stimulus program.

Industry officials and government policymakers have for some time decried the lack of a framework for establishing and defending Research and Development (R&D) policies. Effective policy requires an understanding of the underlying economics. This book offers models and analysis of the economic elements that drive technology-based growth with emphasis on their implications for policy analysis. It also compares existing U.S. policies with those used in Europe and Japan. The results of these models and analysis is a framework for matching various forms of underinvestment with efficient strategic and policy responses. This market-failure based approach enables industry and government R&D initiatives to be developed, analyzed, and implemented with greater success than previously attained. The first part of the book analyzes economic trends to show how they are affected by technological change and the evolving nature of foreign competition. R&D spending patterns are studied to identify and characterize market failures that prevent adequate private-sector investments in technology. A model is presented for a typical technology-based industry. The second part looks at specific technologies and policies that impact R&D investment and that have been the subject of intense policy debate.

This book investigates the relation between investment, R&D, and long-run growth. Its first part surveys the literature on R&D-based growth. This survey is supplemented by a number of classifying tables. In its second part, the book goes beyond the models of R&D-based growth by proposing a more comprehensive view: it sets forth growth models that represent economic growth as being driven by the complementary processes of physical capital investment and R&D activity, rather than by R&D activity alone. For all models presented, schematic representations and illustrative graphs are provided. The reader of this study acquires a fundamental understanding of the relation between investment, R&D, and long-run growth. Thus, this book is helpful not only to those teaching but also the economists researching in the field of growth theory.

The conditions for sustainable growth and development are among the most debated topics in economics, and the consensus is that institutions matter greatly in explaining why some economies are more successful than others over time. Probing the long-term effects of early colonial differences on immigration policy, land distribution, and financial development in a variety of settings, Understanding Long-Run Economic Growth explores the relationship between economic conditions, growth, and inequality, with a focus on how the monopolization of resources by the political elite limits incentives for ordinary people to invest in human capital or technological discovery. Among the topics discussed are the development of credit markets in France, the evolution of transportation companies in the United Kingdom and the United States, and the organization of innovation in the United States.

Since the very beginnings of economics as a science, which might be dated from Ibn Khaldun's "Introduction to History" (1377), the challenge of making societies escape from poverty and attain some degree of prosperity has always been, and can remain, a fundamental issue. This book presents research on each of these issues.

Innovation and technology are increasingly at the heart of economic growth around the world and will be crucial tools for addressing emerging issues such as global urbanization and growing demand for food, energy, and water. In this report, CSIS and RTI International assess the challenges and opportunities facing developing countries as they pursue innovation and technology-driven economic growth. The report includes analysis of three different subtopics—education and human capital development, translational research and development and commercialization, and the innovation policy environment—as well as case studies from Kenya, Malaysia, and India. From this research collaboration, CSIS and RTI International hope to create a platform for engaging a broad set of actors to support the creation of knowledge-based economies and innovation-led economic growth.