Technology geography: a new area of scientific inquiry

Operations management, international management, public policy and economic geography are four scientific areas, which come together in the study of international technology transfer. This paper shows how each of these four areas has its own central issues but also have specific parts that are relevant for research on international technology transfer. It is essential for companies to thoroughly understand the issues of productivity of production technologies employed by them, and for international companies the relationship of productivity of a specific production line and the environment in which this production line operates. Simultaneously, it is essential for governments to understand the productivity of its work force and therefore to understand the relationship of its country characteristics and the productivity of specific industries (or production technologies). A recommendation is made to add a new focus to the research on international technology transfer called: Technology Geography. Its primary purpose is to investigate the linkages between technology and its location, and its consequences for technology transfer and international production operations.