2017 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Accounting for Technology Imitation in Trade-Led Growth in African Economies
| Project/Area Number |
15K03414
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| Research Institution | University of Tsukuba |
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Principal Investigator |
MASWANA J.C. 筑波大学, ビジネスサイエンス系, 准教授 (30378525)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
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| Keywords | Africa / Economic growth / Trade-induced technology |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
During the 2017 fiscal year, the datasets were updated while the analytical tool shifted to the advanced econometrics methods (e.g., nonlinear Threshold Panel estimation). Also, the analytical framework was extended to include indicators related to Africa’s rapidly growing trading partner, namely China. In this respect, I did analyze the effect of China-Africa’s technology-intensity in trade on economic growth of African countries. Our findings suggest a heterogeneous trade-growth nexus with the effect of bilateral trade intensity on Africa’s economic growth being higher in countries whose trade intensity with China is higher compared to those with lower-intensity.
Moreover, to directly reach African policymakers, a policy brief drawn on the major findings has been released in the African Development Bank’s Magazine “Futurs Africains”, which mainly summarizes the critical role of technology imitation through imports for low-income countries as a substitute to R&D. Further recommendations include the reminder that the rate at which lagging African economies catch up should be determined by their ability to absorb ideas and knowledge from the technology frontier. In fact, many countries that have successfully caught up in industrialization in recent decades have actively encouraged the ability of their enterprises to in-effect copy technologies used in industrialized countries. Our findings suggest trade channel presents huge potentials for such challenge.
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