Specialized technology suppliers, international spillovers and investment: evidence from the chemical industry.

In this paper we study how the development of specialized upstream technology suppliers in leading countries improves technology access and lowers investment costs for downstream firms in follower countries. We test this idea using a novel database covering all investments in chemical plants in less developed countries ŽLDCs. during the 1980s. We find that investments in chemical plants in the LDCs are greater, the greater is the number of technology suppliers that operate in the first world. A major contribution of this paper is to identify an important but understudied mechanism through which technology is made available.Market for technology; Specialization; Technology supply; Investment; Chemical industry;

Virtual sector profiles for innovation sharing in process industry : sector 01: chemicals

Production data in process industry are proprietary to a company since they are key to the process design and technology expertise. However, data confidentiality restrains industry from sharing results and advancing developments in and across process sectors. Using virtual profiles that simulate the typical operating modes of a given process industry offers an elegant solution for a company to share information with the outside world. This paper proposes a generic methodology to create sector blueprints and applies it to the chemicals industry. It details the profile of a typical chemical site based on essential units and realistic data gathered from existing refineries and chemical plants

The Chemical Sector al System. Firms, markets, institutions and the processes of knowledge creation and diffusion

According to the Sectoral Systems of Innovation and Production approach, the analysis of a specific sector has to describe its knowledge and technological base, existing complementarities among knowledge, technologies and products, the heterogeneity of agents, their learning processes and competencies, the role of non-firm organisations, and the presence of (co)evolutionary processes. This study applies this theoretical framework to the chemical industry, and examines evolution and co-evolution processes that have characterised this industry over its 200 years history. It emerges a strong dichotomy in industry dynamics. On the one hand, big discontinuities can be observed in knowledge and technological dimensions, which implied a major change in industry structure and a growing division of labour at the industry level. On the other hand, a big continuity can be observed as well, mainly in companies life. Indeed, one important feature of the chemical industry is that between small and large companies, markets, research institutions and other organisations there has been a continuous process of co-evolution, with firms playing the central role within the chemical system.Chemical Industry, Industry Dynamics, Networks, Markets for Technology, Division of Innovative Labour, Networks of Inventors, Patents, Technology Licensing.

Security risk assessment and protection in the chemical and process industry

This article describes a security risk assessment and protection methodology that was developed for use in the chemical- and process industry in Belgium. The approach of the method follows a risk-based approach that follows desing principles for chemical safety. That approach is beneficial for workers in the chemical industry because they recognize the steps in this model from familiar safety models .The model combines the rings-of-protection approach with generic security practices including: management and procedures, security technology (e.g. CCTV, fences, and access control), and human interactions (pro-active as well as re-active). The method is illustrated in a case-study where a practical protection plan was developed for an existing chemical company. This chapter demonstrates that the method is useful for similar chemical- and process industrial activities far beyond the Belgian borders, as well as for cross-industrial security protection. This chapter offers an insight into how the chemical sector protects itself on the one hand, and an insight into how security risk management can be practiced on the other hand

The licensing dilemma: understanding the determinants of the rate of technology licensing.

The licensing of technology entails a trade-off: licensing payments net of transaction costs (revenue effect) must be balanced against the lower price-cost margin and/or reduced market share implied by increased competition (profit dissipation effect) from the licensee. We argue that the presence of multiple technology holders, which compete in the market for technology, changes such a trade-off and triggers more aggressive licensing behavior. To test our theory, we analyze technology licensing by large chemical firms during the period 1986-96 for 107 chemical products. We find that the rate of technology licensing displays an inverted U-shaped relationship with the number of potential technology suppliers and is negatively related to the licensor's market share and to the degree of technology-specific product differentiation.Licensing; Revenue effect; Profit dissipation effect; Chemical industry;

Wholly owned subsidiary versus technology licensing in the worldwide chemical industry.

This paper empirically analyzes the determinants of the choice between wholly owned subsidiary and technology licensing as a strategy for expansion abroad. We use a new and comprehensive database on worldwide plant level investments in the chemical industry during the 1981-1991 period. We find that both cultural distance and the presence of other potential licensors favor the use of licensing as a strategy for expanding abroad, whereas, prior experience favors the choice of wholly owned subsidiary. An implication of this study is that competition in the market for technology can foster the international diffusion of technology through the use of arm's length agreements.Strategic planning; Licensing; Globalization; Foreign investment; Chemical industry;

Chemical research projects office: An overview and bibliography, 1975-1980

The activities of the Chemical Research Projects Office at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California are reported. The office conducts basic and applied research in the fields of polymer chemistry, computational chemistry, polymer physics, and physical and organic chemistry. It works to identify the chemical research and technology required for solutions to problems of national urgency, synchronous with the aeronautic and space effort. It conducts interdisciplinary research on chemical problems, mainly in areas of macromolecular science and fire research. The office also acts as liaison with the engineering community and assures that relevant technology is made available to other NASA centers, agencies, and industry. Recent accomplishments are listed in this report. Activities of the three research groups, Polymer Research, Aircraft Operating and Safety, and Engineering Testing, are summarized. A complete bibliography which lists all Chemical Research Projects Office publications, contracts, grants, patents, and presentations from 1975 to 1980 is included

Technology transfer by new ventures within the chemical and pharmaceutical industry

The role of new ventures for technology transfer from universities and research institutions to companies and between companies focused on the chemical and pharmaceutical industry are discussed in this article. Different aspects of this technology transfer approach like the maturity of the technology, the acquisition of additional resources and the technology transfer results have been analysed based on case studies from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Germany and Switzerland. Especially established industries like the chemical and pharmaceutical industry rely on effective and efficient technology transfer to maintain their global competitiveness. Academic spin-offs can help to transfer technologies to the industry if further research and development work is out of scope of the academic institutions. Corporate spin-outs are an alternative to closing operations should these no longer fit into the parent organization. For technology transfer, both spinoffs and spin-outs can be integrated into a new parent company or work as service provider. Internal start-ups were identified as a new approach for company internal technology transfer from research departments to business units focused on commercial operations to overcome innovation barriers within companies

The market for technology in the chemical industry: causes and consequences

The chemical industry provides a good example of the existence and functioning of a market for technology. This paper suggests that, in chemicals, patents have played a key role in facilitating the purchase and sale of technology. However, patents alone would not be sufficient for the rise of a market for technology. We suggest that the presence of specialized engineering firms has contributed to make chemical technology more widespread and has forced the large chemical corporations to modify their technology strategies. Empirical evidence is provided using a large database on worldwide investments in chemical plants during the 1980s.Financial support from the The European Commission throught the TSER program, contact SOE1-CT97-1059Publicad