THE GLOBALIZATION OF RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT - RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF FOREIGN-AFFILIATED RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT LABORATORIES IN THE USA

This paper examines the globalization of innovation and the phenomenon of foreign direct investment (FDI) in research and development. To do so, it draws from a survey of foreign-affiliated R & D laboratories i n the United States. While the literature on foreign direct investment has emphasized the role of markets in driving off-shore investments, the main conclusion of this research is that the globalization of inno vation is driven in large measure by technology factors. Of particular importance is the objective of firms to secure access to scientific a nd technical human capital.