Abstract
An extensive literature has investigated the driving forces behind high-tech exports, but most studies are based on developed countries context, and developing countries outside Africa. This dissertation contributes to the literature in that it assesses the main factors determining export-oriented technological change, using the technological content of exports (high-tech, medium-tech and low-tech exports) as proxy. For this purpose, instrumental variables regressions are applied on a panel dataset of 33 African countries.
The main findings of this study reveal the determinants of manufactured exports by technological category. The key determinants of high-technology manufactured exports are imports of components, the rule of law, human capital, FDI inflows, GDP per capita and manufacturing. While for medium-technology exports, the main determinants are the imports of components, the rule of law, population, human capital, FDI inflows and GDP per capita. The main determinants of low-technology manufactured exports are imports of components, the rule of law, population, FDI inflows, GDP per capita and manufacturing. This leads to the conclusion that imports of components, rule of law, FDI inflows, GDP per capita and human capital are the main determinants of technological intensity of exports in African countries. Interesting differences are apparent for the determinants by category of technology intensity. These give policy makers in African countries a targeted approach in formulating policies related to exports by technological category...