Exploring the Structure of International Technology Diffusion Hung-Chun Huang 1,2 , Hsin-Yu Shih 2 1 Nan Kai University of Technology, Information Management Department, Taiwan 2 National Chi Nan University, International Business Studies Department, Taiwan Abstract--Globalization has highlighted changes in socio-economic terms and is reshaping the world. The international diffusion of technology therefore becomes one of the most important topics of economics and technology policy research. However, comparing endogenous factors, exogenous factors are complexity and demonstrate as network phenomenon. The network phenomenon composes by neither solely nor independently unit. Countries in global network demonstrated interdependent, and influenced by many others. Thus, this study utilizes social network analysis to investigate the structural configuration of international technology diffusion. This study provides macro perspective on diffusion structure research. The purpose of this study is to investigate the deep structure of international technology diffusion and structural differences between embodied and disembodied technology diffusion networks. This work also provides an understanding of the nature of globalization. The findings not only illustrate the pattern change of diffusion structure form cascade-like to radial-like, but also present the structural configuration of technologically advanced countries and the competitive positions of each country. The findings regarding the diffusion pattern changes and network position identifications can make policy implications for countries interested in exogenous effects for technological growth. I. INTRODUCTION Exogenous factors drive technological progress, as well as drive economic growth via international technology diffusion. International technology diffusion becomes an important factor effects economic growth. Numerous empirical studies indicate that a country can endogenously enhance their technological innovation capabilities or alternatively by acquiring advanced technology through international technology diffusion. Despite the capacity for original innovation is one of the main sources of economic growth, the real impetus derives from the capacity to exploit the economical potential and opportunities of inventions via widespread diffusion [1]. Thus, international technology diffusion has become a popular topic in the literature on economics and technology policy [2-8]. In most countries, the main sources of technological progress lead to productivity gain are required abroad rather than domestically, as demonstrated by recent research [2]. International interactions affect countries in terms of their economic performance, politics and culture [9, 10]. Theories of interdependence support mutual interdependence between nations as a result of close interactions, lead to political reciprocity and complicity [11-13]. Hence, when a country determines its national technology development policy, its decisions depend not only on its own situation [14], but also on the advice or experience of other nations [12]. Thus, different international proximity affects national innovative capacity [15, 16]. Technology disseminate beneath a global structure. Pervious studies in terms of structural perspective demonstrate a sequential and systematic process for technology diffusion. Akamatsu [17] proposes flying geese pattern to describe international technology mobility in north Asia. Vernon [18] proposes international product life cycle to illustrate productivity migration via a country TFP changes. Wallerstein [19], a sociologist, proposes world-system theory to interpret the feature of global interactivity. However, international interaction affects national economic performance, politics and culture, through fostering international cooperation, for example global supply chains and globalized R&D. Numbers studies [e.g. 20, 21] support contemporary global activity demonstrate complexity system with networking interaction. Despite previous studied [e.g. 10, 13, 17-19] in terms of technology dissemination and global interactivity proposes various contingency perspectives, whether these structural perspective can still perfectly interpret current complex global circumstances is a question. More specifically, what characteristic of network structure exists within international technology diffusion remains uncertain. What deep structure has the technology diffusion been existed? What dissemination patterns exist in this technology diffusion system? Although current literature provides numerous important insights, many of the questions raise above remain unanswered. Particularly, while these questions related to multilateral interactivity are best understood as social network issue, few explicit social network analyses of these questions exist. Therefore, this work examines technology diffusion network to explore the global technological feature. II. LITERATURE REVIEW A. International Technology Diffusion Globalization; global outsourcing, global design and global supply chains carry out international science and technology diffusion. Diffusion is a process that involves spreading certain innovation information by participants in a social system through particular channels [22]. Meanwhile, diffusion is an exceptional form of communication, and involves participants providing and sharing information. Diffusion thus can refer to the dissemination of knowledge, technology transfer or deployment [23]. Technology diffusion is influenced by innovations and technical updates over time. Countries acquire innovation technology in two main ways; Exploring the Structure of International Technology Diffusion(11R0064), Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology; PICMET '12, Vancouver, Canada 2012.