Title: Factors motivating MNCs to set up local R&D facilities: the case of Singapore

Authors: K.T. Yeo

Addresses: Division of Systems and Engineering Management, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore

Abstract: In order to attract Multi National Corporations (MNCs) to invest, particularly in R&D, the host country must be able to replicate the base conditions and characteristics of the home countries of the MNCs. This is more so when the host country is no longer offering any factor cost advantage. The objective of this paper is to present some survey findings, in the case of Singapore, on the motivating factors that attracted MNCs to set up R&D facilities in an overseas base, the challenges and problems faced in conducting R&D locally. The survey results may be peculiar to Singapore, but there are still useful lessons to be learned for countries which are interested in attracting MNCs to set up higher order operations there.

Keywords: R&D; technology transfer; multinational corporations (MNCs); Singapore.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2003.003163

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2003 Vol.2 No.2, pp.128-138

Published online: 13 Jul 2003 *

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