Interindustry R&D Spillovers for Electrical and Electronic Products: The Canadian Case

This paper estimates the effects of interindustry R&D spillovers on the cost and production structure for 10 Canadian manufacturing industries. Because of their high-tech nature and productivity performance, spillovers from electrical and electronic products are distinguished from other spillover sources. Generally, spillovers from electrical and electronic products generate cost reductions and render production processes for Canadian manufacturing industries more capital intensive (i.e. either more physical or R&D capital intensive). Social rates of return for R&D capital are calculated for all 10 industries. The social rates are 5–11 times greater than are the private rates. Indeed, the social rates are high for all the industries. This implies that the electrical and electronic products industry is an important interindustry spillover source but, like other industries, a major spillover-using industry.