The course will examine the theoretical and empirical literature on international production, international trade and the links between them, with a particular focus on the role of multinational firms in the globalisation of R&D and in the international fragmentation of production.

1. Trade, comparative advantage and competition

2. The role of the firm in modern international trade theory

3. Firms, location and distance

4. The links between innovation and international production

5. The geography or production, R&D and innovation

Students will develop a theoretical understanding of the topics treated, and will apply statistical and econometric tools learned in the quantitative methods courses. They will also improve their capacity to write papers and present and discuss results of theire research on the topics treated.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Face to face meetings with instructors and other scholars will be made possible during the course 

Teaching

seminars, workshops and paper presentations will be organised along with regular lectures

Attendance

Students are requested to attend:

- the IPT classes delivered by Professors Castellani and  Zanfei at Urbino;

- at least two sessions of the master classes of the IBIG module held at Reading University to be held during the Spring term

Course books

Basic readings to be integrated with more specific ones for paper develiopment:

Beugelsdijk, S., Brakman, S., Garretsen, H., & Marrewijk, C. (2013). International Economics and Business: Nations and Firms in the Global Economy Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 6 Firms, location, and distance (pp. 157-189). Chapter 6 Firms, location, and distance (pp. 157-189).

Antras P., Yeaple S. (2014) Multinational Firms and the Structure of International Trade, Handbook of International Economics, Volume 4, Ch2, Elsevier

Papanastassiou M.& Pearce R., Zanfei A. (2020) Changing Perspectives on the Internationalization of R&D and Innovation by Multinational Enterprises. A Review of the literature, Journal of International Business Studies, 2020, 51, 623–664, DOI : 10.1057/s41267- 019-00258-0

Castellani D., Zanfei A. (2006), Multinational firms, innovation and productivity, E.Elgar, Celtenham, 2006 (paperback edition 2007), Chapters 1 and 2

Griffith, R., Harrison, R. & Van Reenen, J. (2006). How special is the special relationship? Using the impact of US R&D spillovers on UK firms as a test of technology sourcing. American Economic Review, 96(5), 1859

Zanfei A. (2012) “Effects, not Externalities”European Journal of Development Research, 24, pp 8-14

Coveri A., Zanfei A. (2022) Who wins the race for knowledge-based competitiveness? Comparing European and North American FDI patterns, The Journal of Technology Transfer, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10961-021-09911-z

Castellani D. (2021) INDUSTRIAL POLICY AND THE LOCATION OF INTERNATIONAL R&D ACTIVITIES BY MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES in Andersson et al. eds. (2021) SWEDISH PERSPECTIVES ON INDUSTRIAL POLICY THE WASHINGTON CONSENSUS AND BEYOND, Ch.6

Assessment

Students taking this exam will have to write a short paper on a topic that will be decided jointly with the instructors. 

The size of papers should range between 2000 and 2500 words + tables and references. It will have to be focused on one of the topics treated during the course either at Urbino or at Reading, or combinations.

An effort to highlight connections between the topic being addressed and other topics covered in the course is strongly recommended.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Not applicable: attendance requested for all students

Attendance

Not applicable: attendance requested for all students

Course books

Not applicable: attendance requested for all students

Assessment

Not applicable: attendance requested for all students

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.