3. COMPETING IN THE WORLD ECONOMY
3.2. International trade by technology intensity
High-technology goods have been among the most
dynamic components of international trade over the
Trade by technology intensity
last decade. A country s ability to compete in high-
OECD methodological work classifies manufactur-
technology markets is therefore important to its over-
ing industries in four categories of technological
all competitiveness in the world economy.
intensity: high, medium-high, medium-low and
An analysis of trends in technology intensity show that in
low technology. This classification is based on
the OECD area, trade in manufacturing was mostly driven
indicators of (direct as well as indirect) technologi-
by high-technology industries over the second half of
cal intensity which reflect to some degree  tech-
the 1990s and up to the beginning of 2005. In 2001, the
nology-producer or  technology-user aspects.
strong downturn in information and communication
To analyse international trade flows by techno-
technology (ICT) trade affected trade in most technology
logical intensity requires attributing each prod-
industries, but recovery was fairly rapid. From 2005, the
uct to a specific industry. However, products
value of trade in high-technology manufactures started to
which belong to a high-technology industry do
slow. In 2007 it stood at broadly the same level as
not necessarily have only high-technology con-
medium-high-technology manufactures. Over the same
tent. Likewise, some products in industries of
period, trade in medium-low-technology manufactures
lower technological intensity may incorporate a
rose sharply. The notable increase in the value of trade in
high degree of technological sophistication. No
medium-low-technology manufactures was due in part
detailed data are available for services at present.
to the recent significant increases in commodity prices
Therefore the indicators presented here only
for oil, petroleum products and basic metals, particularly
relate to manufacturing industries.
the metals required for the manufacture of ICT goods.
However, in terms of shares, medium-low-technology
manufactures ranked third and accounted for 20% of total
Source
manufacturing trade in 2007; high-technology manufac-
tures and medium-high-technology manufactures
OECD, STAN Bilateral Trade Database, www.oecd.org/sti/btd.
accounted for 23% and 39%, respectively.
OECD, STAN Indicators Database,
www.oecd.org/sti/stan/indicators.
High-technology manufacturing contributes strongly to
the growth of global manufacturing. Between 1997 and
Going further
2007, high-technology exports grew substantially faster
than medium-high-technology exports in most coun-
Hatzichronoglou, T. (1997),  Revision of the High Technol-
tries, and notably in the Slovak Republic, Iceland and the
ogy Sector and Product Classification , OECD Science, Tech-
Czech Republic, where they represented about 1.5 times
nology and Industry Working Papers 1997/2, OECD, Paris.
the value of medium-high-technology exports. They grew
OECD (2005), Measuring Globalisation: OECD Handbook on
at somewhat under 30% in China and by about 15% in
Economic Globalisation Indicators, OECD, Paris.
Brazil. Over the period, growth in exports of high-
technology goods outstripped growth in total manufac- OECD (2007), Staying Competitive in the Global Economy:
Moving Up the Value Chain, OECD, Paris.
turing except in most OECD accession countries (Chile,
Estonia, Israel, Russian Federation, Slovenia), Sweden and
Pilat, D. et al. (2006),  The Changing Nature of Manufactur-
Japan.
ing in OECD Countries , OECD Science, Technology and
Industry Working Papers 2006/9, OECD, Paris.
In 2007, exports were particularly oriented towards
high- and medium-high-technology manufactures in
Figure notes
Ireland, Japan, Hungary, Switzerland, Mexico and the
OECD manufacturing trade by technology intensity:
United States. China s exports were significantly higher
than the OECD average, with high- and medium-high- OECD manufacturing trade is calculated as the average
value of total OECD exports and imports of goods. The
technology exports accounting for about 60% of its total
OECD aggregate excludes Luxembourg for which data
manufacturing exports.
are only available from 1999.
Growth of high- and medium-high-technology exports:
the OECD and EU aggregates exclude Luxembourg for
which data are only available from 1999.
Share of high- and medium-high-technology in manufac-
turing exports: the OECD and EU aggregates exclude
Luxembourg for which data are only available from 1999.
Underlying data for China include exports to Hong Kong
(China).
OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 2009 © OECD 2009
86
3. COMPETING IN THE WORLD ECONOMY
3.2. International trade by technology intensity
OECD manufacturing trade by technology intensity
Index 1997 = 100
290
280
Medium-low-technology accounted for 20% of total manufacturing trade in 2007
270
260
250
Medium-high-technology, 39%
240
230
220
210
200
190
180
170
160
High-technology, 23% Total manufacturing
150
140
Low-technology, 18%
130
120
110
100
90
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/744485308860
Growth of high- and medium-high-technology exports, 1997-2007
Average annual growth rate, percentage
Medium-high-technology industries Total manufacturing High-technology industries
%
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/744504213850
Share of high- and medium-high-technology in manufacturing exports, 2007
Percentage
High-technology manufactures Medium-high-technology manufactures
%
100
80
60
40
20
0
1 2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/744513042674
OECD SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY SCOREBOARD 2009 © OECD 2009
87
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