摘要：The aim of this paper is twofold: Firstly, we try to identify and characterise different types of
strategies firms pursue in performing foreign R&D. Secondly, it is analysed whether the types of
R&D strategies we identified in the first part differ in terms of their impact on firm productivity. In
order to identify foreign R&D strategies we perform, in a first step, a non-hierarchical cluster analysis
of data on the firms’ motives for investing abroad in R&D. In a second step, we characterise these
clusters by use of a large number of variables that, according to the well-known OLI paradigm,
determine a firm’s FDI in distribution, manufacturing and R&D. In this way, we can check whether
the clusters identified by applying a (purely) statistical classification procedure effectively may be
interpreted as “types of foreign R&D strategies”. We end up with four types of strategies, which
significantly differ in terms of characteristics that are important according to the OLI approach. In the
second part we estimate a production function where the standard factor inputs are complemented by
domestic R&D and strategy-specific foreign R&D. It turns out that only one of the four strategies
exerts a positive influence on firm productivity. However, it cannot be excluded that some of the
other strategies have, in the longer run, a positive productivity effect as well. The paper also finds
that foreign and domestic R&D, on balance, are complements.
关键词：Internationalisation of R&D; outward FDI in R&D; motives for foreign R&D; types of
foreign R&D strategies; foreign R&D and productivity; substitution vs.
complementarity of foreign and domestic R&D.
