TY - JOUR
T1 - Similarity of R and D activities, physical proximity, and R&D spillovers
AU - Deltas, George
AU - Karkalakos, Sotiris
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2013/1
Y1 - 2013/1
N2 - The diffusion of knowledge generates positive externalities if knowledge flows increase the productivity of R&D by the recipients of these flows. We investigate the extent to which these spillovers depend on the similarity of research activities by the originator and recipient of the knowledge, and at what rate the spillovers diminish with physical distance. We find, using regional patent and R&D expenditure data from the European Union, that similarity between R&D activities is not only statistically significant, but salient: regions with completely dissimilar R&D activities exhibit essentially no spillovers at all. An increase in the distance between the originating and recipient region by 500. km reduces spillovers by 55-70%.
AB - The diffusion of knowledge generates positive externalities if knowledge flows increase the productivity of R&D by the recipients of these flows. We investigate the extent to which these spillovers depend on the similarity of research activities by the originator and recipient of the knowledge, and at what rate the spillovers diminish with physical distance. We find, using regional patent and R&D expenditure data from the European Union, that similarity between R&D activities is not only statistically significant, but salient: regions with completely dissimilar R&D activities exhibit essentially no spillovers at all. An increase in the distance between the originating and recipient region by 500. km reduces spillovers by 55-70%.
KW - Knowledge diffusion
KW - Spatial effects
KW - Technological similarities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84873133240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84873133240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2012.06.002
DO - 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2012.06.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84873133240
SN - 0166-0462
VL - 43
SP - 124
EP - 131
JO - Regional Science and Urban Economics
JF - Regional Science and Urban Economics
IS - 1
ER -