This paper sets out to estimate the effects of technological externalities in the growth of the TFP of manufacturing in Finland, France, Italy, the United States, Canada and Spain. Its main contributions lie in the calculation of the variables and the use of alternative estimation procedures, unit root test and cointegration techniques appropriate to the panel data employed. The results allow us to conclude that the technology generated in the national sphere, in a given sector, has a positive and significant influence on the TFP. When the model is estimated by differentiating the sectoral origin of the spillovers, the effects of the technology generated in a given sector prove to be greater than those of the technologies generated in other sectors. Furthermore, when the estimation is carried out distinguishing the geographical origin, the foreign spillovers are slightly greater than their domestic counterparts. Confirmation is also found for the role played by trade relationships as a transmission channel of the technological spillovers. The latter are more important, the higher the level of trade between a country and others with a high level of technological capital. Technological spillovers are, likewise, more important the greater the openness of the recipient country’s economy.

Key words: Total factor productivity, technology transfer, international trade, cointegration, panel data.
JEL classification: 03, 04, 05, C23, F1.