MNEs and innovation systems – Swedish findings
IKED has been engaged in a number of projects addressing the internationalisation of economies and impacts of globalisation, notably as regards the connection between flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) and innovative capabilities.
This includes a study commissioned by the Swedish Investment Agency (ISA) which, in collaboration with UNCTAD and WAIPA, recently published the anthology “What’s Next”.
The work makes it clear that the impacts of FDI cannot be taken for granted, but depend on circumstances, including a range of institutions and policies. The same insights are now making an impact on a range of countries. It is striking that governments in some of the poorest countries want not merely the advice how to attract FDI, but require that emphasis is placed on how to create a sensible link between FDI and domestic capacity-building.
IKED has been engaged in several such discussions over the past months (1996), including in Africa (Ethiopia, Morocco), Asia (in the context of ASEM) and the Middle East (Dubai, Saudi Arabia).
The insight that new technologies represent a critical part of the agenda for development has not yet “sunk in” with regard to most development work. International organisations as well as bilateral donor agencies have a lot more to do to raise their own awareness of the opportunities at hand.
It was interesting to read a recent Bangladeshi report criticising a Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper by the World Bank, which was deemed thoroughly unhelpful due to the lack of inclusion of such perspectives. Developed countries remain much interested in these agendas as well.
A recently completed Nordic project (Nordic Innovation Centre, NIFU-STEP in Oslo with IKED) addressed the significance of Domestic Multinationals. It explored the how the role of domestic multinationals is changing in the Nordic economies, and the policy implications, the determinants of entrepreneurship and innovation, and the implications in terms of significance of national ownership or policy strategies adapted to globalization.
Read more at the Domus website.
Tags: Region - Asia Pacific
