Crossover inventions and knowledge diffusion of general purpose technologies?
Subtitle: evidence from the electrical technology
By: Shih-tse Lo, Dhanoos Sutthiphisal.
Contributors: Sutthiphisal, Dhanoos, 1973-; National Bureau of Economic Research.
Series: NBER working paper series -- working paper 14043; Working paper series (National Bureau of Economic Research : Online) -- working paper no. 14043.
Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Cambridge, MA
Language: eng
Format: Electronic resource
Description: "Scholars have long noted the significant impact of general purpose technologies (GPTs) on the economy.  However, limited attention has been paid to exploring how they are employed to generate inventions in downstream sectors (crossover inventions), and what factors may facilitate such diffusion.  We study these issues by examining the introduction of one of the widely regarded GPTs -- electrical technology -- in the late 19th century U.S.  We find that knowledge spillovers between industries (inter-industry spillovers and learning-by-using) had little influence on the geography of crossover inventions as well as the speed and productivity of inventors at making them.  Instead, appropriate human capital and an environment promoting inventions in general played a more important role"--National Bureau of Economic Research web site.
Notes: Title from PDF file as viewed on 7/10/2008.

Includes bibliographical references.

Also available in print.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.