Paths of technology upgrading in the BRICS economies

This paper explores technology upgrading of BRICS economies based on a three-pronged approach, which distinguishes between the intensity of technology upgrading, structural change and global interaction. We develop a statistical framework based on patent indicators to measure technological upgrading and apply it to BRICS economies in the period 1980–2015. The paper shows that there is no single path of technology upgrading. Instead, we find several unique paths with different trade-offs between intensity, structural change and the nature of the global interaction. All BRICS economies display increased generation of frontier technological activities, while China and Russia have also increased the intensity of behind frontier technological activities. China has also diversified its technology knowledge base and entered into dynamic frontier areas. With increasing intensity of frontier technology activities of the BRICS, the relative, but not absolute, the importance of foreign actors and international collaboration has declined. However, BRICS economies seem to lack the organisational and complementary capabilities to match the extent of technology sourcing from abroad, observed in high-income countries. Our result represents the application of a new conceptual framework and contributes to assessing the sustainability of innovation-based growth among BRICS.     

Patterns of preservation, restructuring and survival: science and technology policy in Russia in post-Soviet era

This paper analyses the role of S&T policy in the adjustment and restructuring of Russian S&T system in the post-Soviet period. The principal argument is that the adjustment of S&T system in Russia has been evolving between ‘preservation of S&T potential’, its restructuring, and survival strategies developed by researchers and R&D organisations. Interaction of these factors explains much of the pace and patterns of restructuring of Russian S&T system observed in the post-Soviet period. The model that emerged is the post-Soviet R&D model, which is relevant for Russia and also for other CIS. The paper analyses strategic options available to Russian policy makers.