Joel Blit Assistant Professor of Economics and International Affairs Elliott School of International Affairs George Washington University

Transcription

1 Joel Blit Assistant Professor of Economics and International Affairs Elliott School of International Affairs George Washington University Address: 2115 G Street, NW, Suite 302 Washington, DC Phone: jblit@gwu.edu Web Page: Citizenship: Languages: Canadian, French, Uruguayan Fluent in English, French, and Spanish EDUCATION Ph.D., International Economics, 2010 Department of Economics,. Dissertation: Multi-location firms as a medium for the geographic diffusion of knowledge. M.A., Economics, 2003 Department of Economics, University of Western Ontario. Thesis: Impact of tuition on medical school accessibility: discrimination through parental subsidies. M.B.A. (with Distinction, Dean s List), International Strategy, 2002 INSEAD, Fontainebleau Campus, Singapore Exchange. M.A.Sc., Computer Engineering, 1999 Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo. Thesis: Direct models for online stock trading. B.A.Sc. (Honours), Engineering Science, 1997 Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering,. RESEARCH INTERESTS International Trade, Multinational Corporations, Institutions, Economics of Innovation, International Development, Boundaries of the Firm

2 Joel Blit 2/6 MAJOR AWARDS GW CIBER Research Grant GW CIBER Research Grant - joint with Wenjie Chen NBER Innovation Policy Group Research Grant 2009 Dorothy J. Powell Graduate Scholarship SSHRC Canadian Graduate Scholarship ($105,000) 2006 Harry B. Eastman Award (outstanding 2nd year paper in International Econ) 2004 Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2003, 2004 Royal Bank Graduate Fellowship in Public and Economic Policy 2001 Sasakawa Foundation Scholarship for Cross-Cultural Leadership 2001 INSEAD Canadian Foundation Scholarship National Science and Engineering Research Council Graduate Scholarship Academic All Canadian Canada Scholar 1996 Engineering Athlete of the Year 1993 Toronto Francophone School Board Student of the Year 1993 Canadian Governor General s Medal DISSERTATION Title: Multi-location firms as a medium for the geographic diffusion of knowledge Committee: Daniel Trefler, chair () Ajay Agrawal () Ignatius Horstmann () Joanne Oxley () My dissertation examines the role of multi-location firms in the geographic diffusion of knowledge. I show empirically that a firm's headquarters can tap into the tacit knowledge pool in a remote location by setting up an R&D satellite in that location. This satellite effect on knowledge diffusion is economically significant, representing 47% of the knowledge flow premium associated with collocation. Furthermore, the effect is particularly strong for new knowledge and in areas of satellite technological specialization, suggesting that cutting-edge knowledge in specific sectors can be targeted. Additionally, the findings point to the importance of investing in internal cross-location networks since firms with stronger networks draw more remote knowledge through their satellites. The reverse flow of knowledge, from R&D satellites to local firms, is also important and represents a principal way that multinationals contribute to international development in emerging economies. This diffusion of knowledge is largest in countries and sectors with strong but not world-class capabilities that have both the motivation and absorptive capacity to learn from foreign parties. Finally, the dissertation presents a theoretical model where knowledge is shared through social networks as modeled by repeated agent interactions. The mechanism at once explains three broad empirical findings: why the diffusion of ideas is highly localized, why ideas flow more easily within the firm, and why firms can access remote knowledge by establishing a presence in the remote location.

3 Joel Blit 3/6 WORKING PAPERS Learning remotely: R&D satellites, intra-firm networks, and knowledge diffusion Presented at: Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Montreal, PQ. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. University of Western Ontario, London, ON. George Washington University, Washington, DC. IESE Business School, Barcelona, ES. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON. Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, DK. University of Victoria, Victoria, BC. CCC s Annual Colloquium for Doctoral Student Research, Copenhagen, DK. Canadian Economics Association Conference, Toronto, ON. "International development through multinationals: foreign R&D units and indigenous innovation" Awarded most outstanding second year paper in International Economics Presented at:, Toronto, ON. George Washington University, Washington, DC. Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL. Repeated interactions and knowledge transfers: micro-foundations of local and intra-firm knowledge diffusion Organizational choice under heterogeneous firm productivities Presented at: Canadian Economics Association Conference, Vancouver, BC., Toronto, ON. WORKS IN PROGRESS "Do stronger intellectual property rights induce firm innovation? Evidence from the IPR regime of trade partners" (Received research grant from NBER Innovation Policy Group) "Remote knowledge sourcing and the value of innovations" Culture, institutions, and remote knowledge sourcing through R&D satellites" "External knowledge sourcing through foreign acquisitions" (joint with Wenjie Chen) "Sourcing remote university knowledge through R&D satellites" (joint with Ajay Agrawal) "Organizational choice under incomplete contracts in the exchange of knowledge"

4 Joel Blit 4/6 RESEARCH ASSISTANT 2007 Professor Joanne Oxley,,. Centre for Outsourcing Research and Education (CORE) Report on Managing troubled outsourcing relationships Conducted interviews, analyzed data, synthesized results 2007 Professor Ignatius Horstmann,, U of Toronto. Centre for Outsourcing Research and Education (CORE) Report on Making the outsourcing decision Conducted literature review, conducted interviews, analyzed data, synthesized results 2006 Professor Andres Erosa, Department of Economics,. On finance as a theory of TFP, cross-industry productivity differences, and economic rents Gathered and analyzed data, synthesized results 2005 Professor Nathan Nunn, Department of Economics, Harvard University. Professor Daniel Trefler,,. Incomplete contracts and the boundaries of the multinational firm Constructed database, analyzed data 2005 Professor Daniel Trefler,,. Professor Diego Puga, Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies. Wake up and smell the ginseng: the rise of incremental innovation in low-wage countries Gathered and analyzed data, synthesized results TEACHING ASSISTANT 2009 International Trade Theory (senior undergraduate course) Department of Economics, Advanced Microeconomic Theory (senior undergraduate course) 2010 Department of Economics,. Lectured, ran tutorials, held office hours, marked exams 2008 Global Managerial Perspectives (core 1 st year MBA course), Microeconomic Theory II (core 1 st year Ph.D. course) Department of Economics, Quantitative Methods in Economics, (introductory undergrad) Department of Economics,. Developed problem sets 2002 Econometrics and Statistics, (introductory undergrad) Department of Economics, University of Western Ontario.

5 Joel Blit 5/6 INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE AMS Management Systems Inc. Toronto / Melbourne Senior Consultant Strategy Formulated the strategy for a US$ 100M joint venture (Singaporean- Australian) start-up bank. Analyzed the Hong Kong market and developed the bank s value proposition. Received AMS Excellence Award for contributions. Evaluated the change management activities of a major Canadian retail bank and developed the structure for a sustained change management capability. Conducted market research to evolve AMS market offering in financial services. Forecasted industry trends and recommended a market positioning to company vice president. Team Management Managed the Customer Strategy Team of a major Canadian bank (a team of senior bank executives spanning all major functions). The team developed and prioritized strategic initiatives for moving the bank towards a customer-centric proposition. Assisted in the management of a CRM project team, consisting of consultants and client staff Reorganized strategy team efforts when the CRM program encountered unexpected resistance. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Developed client initiatives that systematically used customer information to implement customer-level strategies that maximize the value of each relationship. Supervised the definition of an initiative to differentiate prices based on customer behavior. Developed inbound and outbound 1 to 1 marketing initiatives for a major Canadian retail bank. Contributed to AMS and client intellectual capital through a Principles of Differentiation white paper that was distributed to senior bank executives. Developed a CRM strategy training course. OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE 1996 Defense Research Assistant, Ministry of Defense, Québec, PQ. Designed and implemented NATO battlefield optical identification system 1994 Meteorology Assistant, Canadian Meteorological Centre, Montréal, PQ. Developed, maintained and tested a new Agro-Météo Unix platform Advisor to the Ontario Minister of Education, Toronto, ON. Appointed by minister as student representative and advisor on education

6 Joel Blit 6/6 CONFERENCES ATTENDED 2010 American Economic Association, Denver, CO Roundtable for Engineering Entrepreneurship Research, Atlanta, GA Academy of Management - IM Jr Faculty Consortium, Montreal, PQ Economics of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Kingston, ON American Economic Association, Atlanta, GA Strategic Management Society Annual International Conference, Washington, DC Academy of Management - BPS Dissertation Consortium, Chicago, IL Economics of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Kingston, ON Canadian Economics Association, Toronto, ON CCC Doctoral Colloquium, Copenhagen, DK Canadian Economics Association, Vancouver, BC Empirical International Trade, Waterloo, ON CIFAR: Institutions, Organizations and Growth, Toronto, ON Social Insurance for Health Care, Toronto, ON CIFAR: Institutions, Organizations and Growth, Toronto, ON. AD HOC REFEREE Canadian Journal of Economics Journal of International Economics Management Science Review of Economics and Statistics MEMBERSHIPS Academy of Management (BPS, IM, TIM) American Economic Association Canadian Economics Association REFERENCES Professor Ajay Agrawal ajay.agrawal@rotman.utoronto.ca Professor Joanne Oxley oxley@rotman.utoronto.ca Professor Ignatius Horstmann ihorstmann@rotman.utoronto.ca Professor Daniel Trefler dtrefler@rotman.utoronto.ca