Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Rousseva, Rossitza
Author-Email: R.I.Rousseva@sussex.ac.uk
Author-Workplace-Name: SPRU, University of Sussex
Title: Technological Capabilities with Different Degree of Coherence: 
	 A Comparative Study of Domestic-Oriented vs. Export-Driven
	 Bulgarian Software Companies
Abstract: The paper makes an attempt to examine systematically the capabilities
	 for software production in a latecomer context and to propose an
	 approach for analysing the technological capabilities (TC) in a
	 latecomer software industry. Taking the analysis one step further than
	 identifying capabilities, the study introduces the notion of coherence
	 of TC and suggests that in analysing the TC the analysis needs to take
	 into account also the coherence among the capabilities. The analysis of
	 the accumulation of individual TC in the Bulgarian software industry
	 reveals that significant differences emerge between the TC of
	 domestic-oriented vs. the export-driven companies. The analysis of the
	 coherence of TC proves capable of disentangling the deeper disparities
	 in the accumulation of capabilities and it reveals that strong coherence
	 occurs only in ‘export’ TC. The paper concludes by bringing back the
	 discussion about the prospects and the entry strategies for developing
	 latecomer software industries. Based on the results the study contests
	 the ‘walking on two legs’ hypothesis and also points that the optimistic
	 forecasts about the possibilities for leapfrogging by the latecomer
	 countries by developing indigenous software industries have been
	 overestimated. 
Classification-JEL: O14, O32
Keywords: technological capabilities, software industry, leapfrogging
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2006
Number: 2006-004
File-URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2006/wp2006-004.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2006004