An Indigenous Innovation: An Example from Mobile Communication Technology. (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Long, Vicky; Laestadius, Staffan
• Is Part Of: Oxford development studies. Volume 44:Number 1(2016)
• Page Start: 113
• Page End: 133
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: Economic development -- Periodicals; Economic policy -- Periodicals; Economic history -- Periodicals; 338.9
• DOI: 10.1080/13600818.2015.1111319
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-0818

Abstract

Abstract: This paper explores the processes of indigenous (global South) innovation, particularly of the "high-tech" and "radical" kind, which have spurred technological catch-up, using the example of a third-generation (3G) Chinese mobile communications technology standard. Three hypotheses were generated from this study: (a) modularity-in-design opens new windows of opportunity for technological catching-up; (b) the lack of essential intellectual property rights acts as a key inducement, or a factor-saving bias, that influences the rate and direction of indigenous innovation in the global South; and (c) the long tail of an old technology affects the take-off of a new indigenous innovation, essentially by shortening the technological distance to be covered.