A New Framework for Analyzing Globalisation of R&D and Innovation in Transnational Corporations

Our empirical investigations in 21 companies have shown the R&D and innovation activities are - to a large extent- globally despersed. Some investigated companies indicated that they will perform more R&D abroad in the future, and that they are willing to be present in the most dynamic, innovationenhancing foreign markets. Increasing global dispersion of activities, however, does not necessarily lead to greater decentralization of ownership and control. A framework is deceloped which may serve as a basis for analyzing predominant patterns of globalization, and help to assess the related coordination issues in transnational corporations.