The Geography Of Knowledge Spillovers And Technological Proximity

This paper tests the presence of technological spillovers for the French case and studies why they occur. Based on a knowledge production function, spillovers are introduced as an external stock of knowledge. Two dimensions are improved: A geographical and a technological effect. The results indicate that technological externalities occur. Spillovers are conditional to technological proximity and, to a lesser extent, to geographical distance. However, externalities are not as generalized as they could be. They do not stem from the whole stock of external knowledge. They flow only through human capital. People thus appear as an essential channel for the diffusion of knowledge.     

The emergence of technology systems: knowledge production and distribution in the case of the Emilian plastics district

The emergence of technology systems is the result of interdependentdynamics of the generation and diffusion of complementary bitsof localised technological knowledge. Technological communicationis the crucial element assessing the collective conditions underwhich technological knowledge is accumulated and diffused. Thecase study of the emerging Emilian technological system in theplastics sector shows that the synchronic and diachronic localisedinteractions among industrial dynamics, institutional R&Defforts and technological interrelatedness are the determinantsof the systematic production, accumulation and distributionof localised technological knowledge, in turn explaining theorigin and development of the technology system itself.     

An empirical study on FDI international knowledge spillovers and regional economic development in China

This article has constructed a framework to analyze the relationship between national innovation investments, international knowledge spillover due to FDI and regional technological progress. We use the panel data sample in 1992–2006 from China’s 29 provinces (municipalities or autonomous regions) to test the impact of China’s regional R&;D investments, international knowledge spillovers of FDI on its regional technological progress. It reveals that the local investments in science and technology are the most important factors to promote technological progress; for the structure and quality of China’s current FDI, the knowledge spillover effects from FDI, especially through the FDI enterprises’ manufacturing activities, are not obvious; the local gains in its technology development from FDI depends on its economic and technological level. Based on the above conclusions we give the corresponding policy recommendations for China’s FDI policy and regional economic development.     

Knowledge spillovers,absorptive capacity and total factor productivity in China’s manufacturing firms

Applying the stochastic frontier framework, this study explores the diffusion and absorption of technological knowledge in China’s manufacturing firms, based on a panel of more than 10,000 local and foreign-invested firms over the period 1998–2001. Our empirical approach allows us to distinguish between technological progress (TP) and technical efficiency (TE) in analysing whether R&D, exports and the presence of foreign direct investment simultaneously enhance TP through knowledge spillovers in a single framework and whether different types of domestic absorptive capacity moderate external knowledge spillovers in relation to TE. The results show that there are positive inter-industry productivity spillovers from R&D and foreign presence, whereas evidence of intra-industry productivity spillovers from FDI to Chinese firms is less robust. We find evidence that absorptive capacity is one of the key determinants to quantitatively explain intra-industry differences in productivity of local Chinese firms. The findings have important policy implications.     

产业集群中知识溢出与区域竞争力提升研究

在知识经济时代,产业集群内知识溢出成为区域经济增长的主要内生变量,发挥着重要的作用,区域的竞争力也日益表现为对知识占有和利用之间的较量,研发创新、知识吸收与创新成为经济发展的内在动力源泉。本文分析了集群内知识溢出主要通过集群内企业间人员流动、集群内企业间观察模仿、集群内企业非正式交流及集群内企业衍生等途径来实现。探讨了集群内知识溢出和技术创新与区域竞争力的相互作用关系。提出了集群内知识溢出有利于集群企业的技术创新能力提升集群的知识积累水平,激活创新活力,增强区域的整体创新功能、有利于集群内企业降低创新成本与风险提升区域创新效率、有利于集群企业的人力资源的流动提升区域竞争力,从而形成集群区域独特的竞争优势。     

Are More Innovative Firms Less Vulnerable to New Environmental Regulation?

Compliance with pollution limits and standards requires firms to implement adaptation processes that are not only costly themselves but also affect future profits in as much as they modify production systems and methods. This paper attempts to respond to the question of how technological knowledge moderates the effect that the implementation of a new environmental regulation has on the results of affected firms. The regulation selected for this study is the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Act (IPPC). A Multivariate Regression Model (MVRM) has been applied to the regulatory event. The most important implication of this paper is that technological knowledge prepares a firm for adapting to a greater environmental demand such as may be derived from a new regulation. This paper has been developed under the objectives of the CREVALOR Research Group (DGA-Spain). Moreover, it has been financed by the MEC-FEDER Research Project SEJ2005-07341.     

Structural and geographical patterns of knowledge networks in emerging technological standards: evidence from the European GNSS industry

The concentration and dispersion of innovative activities in space have been largely explained and evidenced by the nature of knowledge and the geographical extent of knowledge spillovers. One of the empirical challenges is to go beyond this by understanding how the geography of innovation is shaped by particular structural properties of knowledge networks. This paper contributes to this challenge, focusing on the particular case of global navigation satellite systems at the European level. We exploit a database of R&D collaborative projects based on the fifth and sixth European Union Framework Programs, and apply social network analysis in economic geography. We study the properties both of the network of organizations and the network of collaborative projects. We show that the nature of the knowledge involved in relationships influences the geographical and structural organizations of the technological field. The observed coexistence of a relational core/periphery structure with a geographical cluster/pipeline one is discussed in the light of the industrial and geographical dynamics of technological standards.     

Simulating the prospects of technological catching up

Local increasing returns associated with static and dynamic scale effects, knowledge spillovers, polarization effects and the distance that separates different regions are among the most important driving forces behind the dynamics of economic and technological convergence. This paper puts forward a computational simulation model that seeks to integrate these factors. The modelling exercise was designed in order to achieve a better understanding of the relationship between the aspects underlying the specific trajectories of regional technological accumulation and the aggregate convergence/divergence patterns stemming from these trajectories. In particular, the role of history and geography in the dynamics of technological convergence is emphasized.     

Endogenous protection of R&D investments

Abstract .  We examine firms' incentives to protect their non-cooperative R&D investments from spilling over to competitors. We show that, contrary to findings in most of the literature, the lack of full appropriability can lead to an increase in R&D investments. Consequently, as long as the R&D spillovers are not too strong, firms decide to let their R&D knowledge flow. Since, as we show, welfare is higher when R&D spillovers are present, it follows that public policies that promote the dissemination of technological knowledge could be welfare-enhancing.     

Multinationals without Advantages

We question the widespread argument that firms embarking on foreign direct investments must possess some specific advantages to offset the penalties of operating across national and cultural boundaries. A simple model shows that firms might invest abroad to capture local advantages through geographical proximity of plant location, rather than to exploit existing ones. Because of spatially bounded spillovers, laggard firms might use foreign investments to acquire location-specific knowledge, whereas leading firms might prefer costly exports to avoid the dissipation of their advantages.
JEL classification: F 23; O 32; L 22     

外商直接投资的知识溢出与中国区域经济增长

本文构建了包括国内知识资本、外商在华直接投资的知识溢出和地区技术进步的分析框架,通过中国29个省(直辖市、自治区)1992—2006年的面板数据检验了中国区域R&D投入、外商在华直接投资的知识溢出对地区技术进步的影响。研究表明:地区自身科技投入是推动地区技术进步的最主要因素;受中国目前引资结构和质量的影响,外商在华直接投资的知识溢出效应特别是通过FDI企业在当地从事生产活动带来的知识溢出效应并不明显;FDI渠道传递的外国R&D资本对技术进步的促进作用与当地的经济、科技发展水平有着密切关系。在上述结论的基础上,论文对中国FDI引资战略和区域经济发展提出了相应的政策建议。     

When is betweenness centrality useful to firms pursuing technological diversity? An internal-resources view

This study examines situations in which betweenness centrality (BC) is useful for firms pursuing technological diversity. Given the role of BC in firms’ access to external technological knowledge, the study explores the extent to which R&D and manufacturing resources, technological strength, and financial slack moderate the relationship between BC and technological diversity. The results show that BC alone does not exert a positive effect on technological diversity. Furthermore, R&D resources, technological strength, and financial slack each positively moderate the relationship between BC and technological diversity, whereas manufacturing resources do not. Identifying the influential moderators of internal resources should enable firms to harness the benefits of BC. Thus, firms should possess such internal resources to further their technological diversity through BC.     

知识溢出、吸收能力与本土供应商创新绩效——基于珠三角制造业企业的实证分析

笔者利用珠三角制造业企业调查问卷进行实证研究,重点考察吸收能力、知识溢出对本土供应商创新绩效的影响。研究结果表明:跨国公司的显性和隐性知识溢出对供应商技术创新有明显促进作用;供应商的吸收能力对知识溢出和创新绩效有正向调节作用,即供应商的吸收能力不仅有利于其技术创新,而且强化知识溢出对其创新绩效的促进作用;隐性知识溢出在吸收能力的正向调节作用下,对创新绩效的作用更明显。此外,笔者对国内市场导向和出口导向型供应商进行了分组检验。     

A model of the learning process with local knowledge externalities illustrated with an integrated graphical framework

We present a unified graphical framework accounting for the nature and impact of spillover effects. The dynamics of the learning process with a specific spillover transfer mechanism can be illustrated by referring to this four-quadrant picture. In particular, a whole cycle of technological learning is explained with the help of such a graphical representation of the basic learning process in the presence of knowledge spillovers.

We hypothesize two different functional specifications of spillover exchanges among firms within a local innovation system. Each conceivable shape for the knowledge transfer relationship among firms expresses a possible mode and intensity of information processing arising from technology spillovers. A general proposition regarding the relative efficiency of the two alternative formal models with spillover effects is derived. The basic models with spillover effects are then extended in several relevant directions.     

Strategic timing in R&D agreements

We study the endogenous formation of R&D agreements in a R&D/Cournot duopoly model with spillovers where also the timing of R&D investments is endogenous. This allows us to consider the incentives for firms to sign R&D agreements over time. It is shown that, when both R&D spillovers and investment costs are sufficiently low, firms may find difficult to maintain a stable agreement due to the strong incentive to invest noncooperatively as leaders. In this case, the stability of an agreement requires that the joint investment occurs at the initial stage, thus avoiding any delay. When spillovers are sufficiently high, the coordination of R&D efforts becomes a profitable option, although firms may also have an incentive to sequence noncooperatively their investment over time. Finally, when spillovers are asymmetric and knowledge mainly leaks from the leader to the follower, investing as follower may become extremely profitable, making R&D agreements hard to sustain unless firms strategically delay their joint investment in R&D.     

知识溢出支撑集群企业创新跨越研究

培育集群企业技术创新能力是产业集群竞争优势的主要表现形式,而企业是集群中最活跃的行为主体,单个企业的技术创新能力在很大程度上反映了一个集群的技术创新能力.知识溢出、集群企业吸收能力是产业集群创新的关键要素.首先对集群企业技术创新能力、知识溢出、集群企业吸收能力的相关文献进行了综述,在此基础上归纳本文的研究要素,明确要素之间的逻辑关系;针对当前集群企业的现实,从吸收能力视角提出了知识溢出支撑集群企业技术创新能力跨越的理论分析框架,并从隐性知识、显性知识、吸收能力与集群企业技术创新能力跨越进行了分析,知识溢出对集群企业提升技术创新能力具有促进作用,而这种促进作用的大小受到集群企业本身吸收能力影响,即吸收能力增强了知识溢出对集群企业技术创新能力的促进作用.     

Knowledge technological proximity: evidence from US and European patents

The purpose of this paper is to explore the correlation between the technological proximity measures in three areas: USA, Japan and the Europe. In each economic area, we use information from two international patent systems to construct the technological proximity for 240 large international firms. In particular, we select firms’ patents from United States Patent and Trademarks Office data and European Patent Office data. In order to compute the technological proximity, we follow the methodology developed by Jaffe [1986. “Technological Opportunity and Spillovers of R&D: Evidence from Firms’ Patents, Profits and Market Value.” American Economic Review 76 (5): 984–1001], where a technological vector is based on the distribution of patents of each firm across technology classes. Since the Jaffe distance assumes that spillovers only occur within the same technology class, but rules out spillovers between different classes, we develop also a distance measure which exploits the Mahalanobis norm to identify the distance between different technology classes based on the frequency that patents are taken out in different classes by the same firm. The contribution to the existing literature is to investigate the robustness of the technological proximity measure and the extent to which it may be affected by patent system features.     

Product innovation: testing the relative influence of industry,institutional context and firm factors

This article analyses the influence of industry characteristics (concentration and technological opportunity), the institutional framework (social capital and spillovers from the public sector) and some firm factors (external and internal R&D) on product innovation in a unique integrated framework. Based on a sample of Spanish industrial firms, these variables were found to be positively related to firms’ product innovation. Also, results show that in institutional environments with significant levels of social capital and spillovers, firms change their innovation strategy focusing on external R&D.     

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS AND TRADE LIBERALIZATION*

This paper examines the gains from cooperative agreements on transportation infrastructure investments when there are terms of trade and technological spillovers between countries. In a two ‐country model, cooperation on investment levels will result in a lower level of transport costs. However, the cooperative equilibrium may have a higher or lower level of infrastructure investment between the partner countries in the case of preferential liberalization. The paper also addresses the desirability of linking trade and infrastructure agreements when investment choices can be used strategically.     

产业集聚、技术并购与知识溢出效应

本文将技术并购视为知识溢出的一种微观过程，考察究竟是专业化集聚还是多样化集聚在企业技术并购决策中发挥主导作用及其影响机制。本文基于2007—2017年中国A股制造业上市公司技术并购数据研究发现，专业化集聚通过知识竞争效应和信息网络效应显著促进了技术并购的发生，但多样化集聚对技术并购决策没有显著影响。这意味着专业化集聚产生了显著的知识溢出效应，而多样化集聚并没有类似的效果。进一步分析发现，制度环境是决定专业化集聚知识溢出效应能否发挥的重要影响机制，表现为专业化集聚的知识溢出效应在民营企业、社会信任和市场化水平较高的地区更为显著。本文的研究结论深化了对产业集聚知识溢出效应的认识和理解，丰富了技术并购决策的相关研究，对于推动区域协调发展和构建技术创新体系具有重要的政策含义。