This paper combines insights from different streams of literature to develop a more comprehensive framework for the analysis of knowledge transfer via value chain relationships. We integrate the existing literature in three ways. First, we consider value chain relationships as a multi-facet...

Using data on 1,176 Italian municipalities in 2005, this paper discusses a number of factors associated with the development of a particular type of innovative activities, namely e-government services supplied by local public administrations (PAs). We find that municipalities which got involved...

This paper examines the changing role of multinationals in the global generation, adoption and transfer of innovation. It is argued that the combination of traditional asset exploiting objectives with increasing asset seeking activities entails a transition of multinationals towards a double...

How do trade activities affect firms' employment and wages structures? Using firm level data on Italian manufacturing firms, this paper adds to the existing literature, by assessing how the degree of involvement in international trade impacts on workforce composition, earning levels and wage...

Public e-services are a broad and growing research field in which scholars and practitioners from different domains are involved. However, the increasing attention devoted to public e-services only partially captures the extreme variety of aspects and implications of the diffusion of information...

It is argued that a new actor is emerging in international business, namely “Social Multinationals”, that is a blend of international rent-creation and pursuit of social objectives. However, it would be misleading to state that the emergence of Social Multinationals will be the natural...

Using data on the adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by 1947 Italian firms in 2004 and 2005, this paper provides evidence that is consistent with three largely complementary streams of literature on innovation diffusion. First, as suggested by epidemic models, we...

This paper discusses some key implications of the view, emerged in the literature, that multinational firms organise their activities by connecting internal networks of subsidiaries with external networks of contractual relationships. It is argued that this view provides some useful elements for...

The negative effect of distance is justified by the existence of transport costs which hamper the international exchange of final and intermediate goods, and by higher uncertainty about local markets. We submit that distance plays a remarkably different role in the case of R&D FDIs since they...