R&D and Absorptive Capacity: Theory and Empirical Evidence*
Summary. This paper develops a unified framework connecting endogenous growth theory with empirical R&D research. It shows that R&D drives both innovation and absorptive capacity—the ability to adopt others' discoveries. The model explains long-run productivity differences between countries and reveals that previous studies underestimated R&D's social returns by ignoring absorptive capacity effects.
Cite this article
Griffith, R., Redding, S. J., & Reenen, J. V.. (2003). R&D and Absorptive Capacity: Theory and Empirical Evidence*. Scandinavian Journal of Economics. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9442.00007
Griffith, Rachel, et al. “R&D and Absorptive Capacity: Theory and Empirical Evidence*.” Scandinavian Journal of Economics, 2003. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9442.00007.
Griffith, Rachel, Stephen J. Redding, and John Van Reenen. 2003. “R&D and Absorptive Capacity: Theory and Empirical Evidence*.” Scandinavian Journal of Economics. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9442.00007.
@article{griffith-2003-r-amp-d-absorptive-capacity,
title = {R&D and Absorptive Capacity: Theory and Empirical Evidence*},
author = {Rachel Griffith and Stephen J. Redding and John Van Reenen},
journal = {Scandinavian Journal of Economics},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1111/1467-9442.00007},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9442.00007}
}
TY - JOUR TI - R&D and Absorptive Capacity: Theory and Empirical Evidence* AU - Rachel Griffith AU - Stephen J. Redding AU - John Van Reenen JO - Scandinavian Journal of Economics PY - 2003 DO - 10.1111/1467-9442.00007 UR - https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9442.00007 ER -
Details
- DOI
- 10.1111/1467-9442.00007
- Countries
- United Kingdom
- Regions
- Europe
- Categories
- innovation-theory, regional-innovation-systems, general-innovation
- Added
- 2026-04-28