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[France] Ph D Scholarship Innovation and Market Selection: an Evolutionary Approach

Ph D Scholarship Innovation and Market Selection: an Evolutionary Approach

CNRS-GREDEG, University of Nice - Sophia Antipolis, and Department for
Research on Innovation and Competition (OFCE) - SciencesPo (France)

Description of the Subject: Aggregate productivity growth is the outcome
of incumbent firms adopting new and superior techniques and (or)
entering firms replacing exiting firms with better technologies. This
research project will concern market selection mechanisms by
characterising innovation as a process of selection (or acquisition) of
more productive technologies within firms and a process of selection of
firms itself. It will analyse both what happens inside the firms and
what happens between firms on the market when firms are engaged in
innovative or imitative processes. The first part of the research will
be devoted to making a survey of empirical and theoretical analyses of
industrial dynamics, which should focus on the relation between
innovation and competition. The second part of the research will build a
theoretical model of industrial dynamics in order to analyse rivalry and
competition among heterogeneous firms. It will determine the market
conditions that allow firms to capture productivity gains from past
investments. These market conditions are critical to characterising the
dynamic equilibrium, similar to a so-called natural market structure.
The third and last part will consist in developing an empirical analysis
of the determinants of firms’ entry and exit, using French census data.
In its conclusion, this research will address critical issues concerning
the objectives and channels of industrial policies defined as policies
that support development of firms and innovation

Requirements: The successful candidate must be familiar with basic
economic modelling and econometrics (master level). Knowledge of English
is required. Proficiency in English and the willingness to learn French
are appreciated.

This is a PhD public scholarship for three years, starting from
September 2008 onwards, with an annual pay of 16,000 Euros before income
tax. The candidate will be hosted at CNRS/GREDEG and OFCE/DRIC. GREDEG
(CNRS and University of Nice Sophia Antipolis) is a research group in
industrial economics. OFCE-DRIC (www.ofce.sciences-po.fr/index-uk.htm)
is a department of the research centre in economics of Sciences-Po
Paris, a leading French higher education institution. The Department for
Research on Innovation and Competition (OFCE-DRIC), in association with
the GREDEG, studies a broad set of topics related to structural change,
innovation and trade. It has a strong emphasis on empirical approaches:
(i) for the analysis of economic performances of firms and countries
engaged in innovation processes or concerned with the entry in new
markets; (ii) for the evaluation of public policies (competition and
regulation policies, but also fiscal and banking ones). Its researchers
combine a good grasp of economic theory with various econometric methods
applied to firm and plant level datasets.

Supervisor: Jean-Luc Gaffard Professor of Economics, University of Nice
Sophia Antipolis and CNRS-GREDEG, Head of the Department for Research on
Innovation and Competition (OFCE Centre de Recherche en Economie de
Sciences-Po)

Location: CNRS-GREDEG / University of Nice Sophia Antipolis and OFCE
Department for Research on Innovation and Competition, 250 Avenue Albert
Einstein, 06560 Valbonne, France.

Application: Applications will be received no later than June 30 2008. A
master degree is required. To apply send a hard-copy of a cover letter,
a full CV, a letter of recommendation, and a scholarly work or a
research paper to:

Prof. Jean-Luc Gaffard, OFCE-DRIC, 250 rue Albert Einstein, 06560
Valbonne, France, e-mail: jeanluc.gaffard @ ofce.sciences-po.fr

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