Pathways to competitiveness in high-tech industries

technological shifts, standardization, and regional innovation

verfasst von

Lennart Schott

betreut von

Kerstin J. Schaefer

Abstract

Innovation lies at the core of technological progress, driving transformative changes in industries and fundamentally reshaping economic structures and regions. At the same time, the increasing global reach of technology and the growing interdependence of systems have elevated the importance of international technology standards. Those regions and firms that can effectively shape technological trajectories and standards are positioned to emerge as leading actors, defining the direction of innovation and capturing value in critical industries. This cumulative dissertation examines these multidimensional dynamics shaping technological trajectories and economic development, focusing on country-specific differences in embeddedness and influence in global standards development, and on the role of regional capabilities in the innovation and adoption of emerging technologies. Looking at two different high-tech industries — the telecommunications and automotive sector — this dissertation sheds light on how firms and regions navigate and influence these processes. Utilizing quantitative data analysis, the research draws on technical contributions from within an international standardization body, patent records, and online job advertisement data. The findings reveal that actors from the Global South, namely China, face multifaceted hurdles in international ICT standards development, highlighting disparities in the ability to influence standardization outcomes — the so-called standardization gap. However, the research also shows that strategic collaborations and generational technology shifts may offer leverage to increase their embeddedness and influence on their path to becoming global standard-setters. Examining how such technological shifts and path developments unfold at the regional level, the dissertation further analyzes how regional technological capabilities affect the innovation and adoption of automated driving technologies in Germany. The emergence of these technologies poses significant disruptions, and challenges established automotive regions rooted in mechanical engineering to integrate advanced digital competencies. The research shows that conventional automotive regions lacking complementary ICT capabilities may struggle to fully adapt to this disruption, facing difficulties in achieving successful path renewal. These results carry various policy recommendations and provide impulses for future research — in economic geography and beyond.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Fachgebiet Wirtschaftsgeographie

Typ

Dissertation

Anzahl der Seiten

162

Publikationsdatum

05.03.2025

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 8 – Anständige Arbeitsbedingungen und wirtschaftliches Wachstum

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.15488/18625 (Zugang: Offen)