Internationalisation of business investments in research and development and analysis of their economic impact (BERD Flows) : final report

The internationalisation of economic activities is a defining aspect of our times. To a significant extent, this comprehensive internationalisation process builds on the internationalisation of business sector research and development expenditures. Established but changing global innovation systems can be seen both in manufacturing as well as service industries; from the automobile industry to machinery and equipment, from the chemicals industry to pharmaceuticals, from the electronics industry to software and services. The landscape for the internationalisation of business research and development is undergoing a period of comprehensive change, in step with a range of general factors including shifts in the location of demand, production and innovation, changing technologies and technological regimes (e.g. green-tech, digitisation/IoT), and the longer term repercussions of the 'financial crisis' (stemming from the US sub-prime credit crisis). Other historical events of note include the expansion of EU membership in the mid-00s and the subsequent stages of extending economic activity with the eastward expansion states. But what is known about the extent and distribution of these investments across time, country and sector; and, moreover, what is known about causes and potential effects of their internationalisation?