Abstract
The recent resurgence of growth studies has clearly established that technological progress and knowledge accumulation are among the most important factors in determining the performance of regional and national economic systems. In this paper we propose new evidence on knowledge flows across European regions based on patenting at the European Patent Office. We examine in- and out-flows of patent citations as a proxy of knowledge connections, while looking also at their dynamics through time. The econometric analysis is based on a model where the exchange of knowledge across regions is mainly affected by geographical distance together with a set of spatial variables. The main result is that knowledge flows decrease as the geographical distance between the origin and the destination region increase. Furthermore, knowledge flows tend to be higher among contiguous regions and areas within the same country. These results prove to be robust with respect to the inclusion of other characteristics of the origin and destination regions (production structure, economic conditions and technological efforts) as well as different estimation methods.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Audretsch D, Feldman M (1996) R&D spillovers and the geography of innovation and production. Am Econ Rev 86: 631–640
Balconi M, Breschi S, Lissoni F (2004) Networks of inventors and the role of academia: an exploration of Italian patent data. Res Policy 33: 127–145
Bode E (2004) The spatial pattern of localized R&D spillovers: an empirical investigation for Germany. J Econ Geography 4: 43–64
Bottazzi L, Peri G (2003) Innovation and spillovers in regions: evidence from European patent data. Eur Econ Rev 47: 687–710
Breschi S, Lissoni F (2006) Knowledge networks from Patent data methodological issues and research targets. In: Henk FM, Glänzel W, Schmoch U(eds) Handbook of quantitative science and technology research. Springer, The Netherlands
Cairncross F (1997) The death of distance: how the communications revolution will change our lives. Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge
Cantwell J, Iammarino S (2003) Multinational corporations and European regional system of innovation. Routledge, London
Criscuolo P, Verspagen B (2006) Does it matter where patent citations come from? Inventor versus examiner citations in European patents, Eindhoven Centre for Innovation Studies, WP 05.06
Criscuolo P, Narula R, Verspagen B (2005) Role of home and host country innovation systems in R&D internationalisation: a patent citation analysis. Econ Innov New Technol 14: 417–433
Griliches Z (1979) Issues in assessing the contribution of research and development to productivity growth. Bell J Econ 10: 92–116
Hall B, Jaffe AB, Trajtenberg M (2001) The NBER Patent citations data file: lessons, insights and methodological tools, NBER WP 8498
Jacobs J (1969) The economy of cities. Jonathan Cape, London
Jaffe AB (1986) Technological opportunity and spillovers of R&D: evidence from Firms’ Patents, profits and market value. Am Econ Rev 76: 984–1001
Jaffe AB, Trajtenberg M (1999) International knowledge flows: evidence from patent citations. Econ Innov and New Technol 8: 105–136
Jaffe AB, Trajtenberg M (2002) Patents, citations and innovations: a window on the knowledge economy. MIT Press, Cambridge
Jaffe AB, Trajtenberg M, Henderson R (1993) Geographic localization of knowledge spillovers as evidenced by Patent citations. Q J Econ 108: 577–598
Jaffe AB, Trajtenberg M, Fogarty MS (2000) Knowledge spillovers and Patent citations: evidence from a survey of inventors. Am Econ Rev 90: 215–218
Krugman P (1991) Economic geography and trade. MIT Press, Cambridge
Le Sage JP, Fischer M, Scherngell T (2007) Knowledge spillovers across Europe. Evidence from a Poisson spatial interaction model with spatial effects. Pap Reg Sci 86: 393–421
Los B (2000) The empirical performance of a new interindustry technology spillover measure. In: Saviotti P, Nooteboom B(eds) Technology and knowledge: from the firm to innovation systems. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham
Lukatch R, Plasmans J (2003) Measuring knowledge spillovers in the new economy firms in Belgium using patent citations. Glob Bus Econ Rev 5: 75–99
Marshall A (1920) Principles of economics. Macmillan, London
Maskell P, Malmberg A (1999) Localised learning and industrial competitiveness. Cambridge J Econ 23: 167–185
Maurseth PB, Verspagen B (2002) Knowledge spillovers in Europe: a patent citations analysis. Scand J Econ 104: 531–545
Maggioni MA, Nosvelli M, Uberti TE (2007) Space vs. networks in the geography of innovation: a European analysis. Pap Reg Sci 86: 471–493
Malerba F, Mancusi ML, Montobbio F (2003) Innovation and knowledge spillovers: evidence from European data. University of Insubria, Department of Economics WP0319
Moreno R, Paci R, Usai S (2005) Spatial spillovers and innovation activity in European Regions. Environ Plann A 37: 1793–1812
Moreno R, Paci R, Usai S (2006) Innovation clusters in the European regions. Eur Plann Stud 14: 1235–1263
Nelson R (1993) (ed) National innovation systems. A Comparative Analysis. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Paci R, Batteta E (2003) Innovation networks and knowledge flows across the European regions. CRENoS WP 2003/13
Paci R, Usai S (1999) Externalities, knowledge spillovers and the spatial distribution of innovation. GeoJournal 49: 381–390
Rallet A, Torre A (1999) Which need for geographical proximity in innovation networks at the era of global economy?. GeoJournal 49: 373–380
Schmock U, Laville F, Patel P, Fritsche R (2003) Linking technology areas to industrial sector. Report to European Commission, DG Research
Thompson P (2006) Patent citations and the geography of knowledge spillovers: evidence from inventor- and examiner-added citations. Rev Econ Stat 88: 383–388
Verspagen B (1997) Estimating international technology spillovers using technology flow matrices. Weltwirtschaftlich Arch 133: 226–248
Webb C, Dernis H, Harhoff D, Hoisl K (2005) Analysing European and international Patent citations: a set of EPO Patent database building blocks, OECD Science, Technology and Industry WP 2005/9