Globalization in not a new phenomenon. It has been started along with human migration, long distance trade and conquest. However, the globalization of research and development (R&D) is a recent major happening in human history. In the present-day globalized world Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) are one of the major actors of globalization because of their size and operations all over the globe. MNEs generally keep their crucial R&D operation at their home base to gain competitive advantage and monopoly over their products. Earlier in the 1960’s and 70’s MNEs used to conduct mainly the manufacturing operations in the offshore location. They used to do very little R&D abroad. In the next few decades there was a gradual shift in R&D operations by MNEs. In this phase R&D by MNEs usually restricted in the developed countries. However, a paradigm shift observed in the 1990s onward where many global MNEs started their R&D operations in emerging economies particularly in the developing Asian countries in India and China.

The book is an attempt to capture this emerging trend of offshoring of R&D operation by MNEs in India and China. Using the selected sample of firms from ICT and Pharmaceutical sectors, this book investigates these vibrant dynamics using various input indicators (publication and patents) and the content analysis from various news sources. The findings and the policy recommendations given in this book will perhaps be useful for researchers, policy and decision makers in government and other stakeholders.

About the Authors

Swapan Kumar Patra is PhD in Science Policy from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi India. He is affiliated with the Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa.  

Mammo Muchie is a DST/NRF Rated Research Professor in Innovation Studies at the Department of Industrial Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment in Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) in Pretoria, South Africa.  He is also NRF rated Research professor and member of the African Academy of Sciences and the South African Academy of Sciences.

World Rights

Category: Economics, Development Studies/ASIA                                                   

Trim size:  5.5x8.5"

Page count:  240 

Publication date: 2021