Innovation Geographies and Structural Transformation: The Role of MNCs in Automotive Industrial Development

Submitted by Bruno Perez Almansi, Ca' Foscari University of Venice on Fri, 02/27/2026 - 13:13

Economic Development - Automotive Industry – Innovation – Global Value Chains – Multinational Corporations – National Champions
Presentation to the Gerpisa colloquium

Publication Type:

Conference Paper

Authors:

Perez Almansi, Bruno

Source:

Gerpisa colloquium, Paris (2026)

Keywords:

Economic Development - Automotive Industry – Innovation – Global Value Chains – Multinational Corporations – National Champions

Abstract:

This paper asks whether the globalization of automotive production has been matched by a relocation of inventive activity. Using patents by country of invention for the top 20 global automakers from 1990 to 2020, we map where invention occurs across countries over time. We find a persistent manufacturing–innovation divide: inventive activity remains concentrated in home and core-country nodes and internationalizes only selectively. China is the main exception; a small set couples high production with high invention, while many show little correlation in practice.

Thème: New Technologies and the Evolution of the Value Chain