The role of proximity to universities for corporate patenting: provincial evidence from China

Abstract

This paper investigates whether proximity to universities matters for corporate patenting in Chinese provinces. The investigation is based on estimating regional knowledge production functions using a Chinese provincial dataset for the years from 2000 to 2008. Geographic proximity of companies to universities is taken as a key element to measure firms' accessibility to university research. In addition, quality-adjusted accessibility measures are considered in extended models to take into account quality difference in university research. The results suggest the existence of spatial academic effects on corporate patenting activities in China as found in the previous literature for Western economies. In China, however, these effects are especially strong for realising technologically less demanding noninvention corporate patents than for invention corporate patents. Moreover, companies' geographic proximity to universities dominates over university research quality difference for determining the relevance of universities as knowledge sources for companies. Extended models are estimated for robustness checks which ascertain the main results.

The development of Knowledge Transfer and Technology Transfer with Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone

“…This aligns with the literature, where clusters have been found to benefit Industry, Academia, and Government (Reve, 2011;C. F. Kim et al, 2012;W.-H. Liu, 2013;Diamond, 2016;Reid, 2018;. The PTWEZ can act as a key area to support formation of 'Clusters' in areas such as manufacturing, clustering and green energy.…”

“…Though, the ambition is for something to take its place, with the aim of an 'Innovation district' or a potential 'Freeport' into the region to support economic development. 'Clusters' have seen to be a recommendation that was synthesised from phase two of the AR, that highlights the importance of developing clusters to support KT&TT activities in the region, where this supports the literature of the advantages of 'Clusters' and policy led clusters (M. E. Porter, 1998;Sölvell et al, 2003;W.-H. Liu, 2013;. Furthermore, Distance/Connectivity was a key theme discussed in phase two of the AR design.…”

An Examination of the Role of Local and Distant Knowledge Spillovers on the US Regional Knowledge Creation

“…In addition, Cohen and Levinthal (1990) point out that a recipient's willingness to bear the cost associated with learning new knowledge is another important determinant of the absorptive capacity. Although universities share their knowledge with others at relatively low cost (Liu 2013), even for free in some cases, external innovators are able to access it relatively easily and without the need for a large absorptive capacity. On the other hand, private companies bear greater R&D costs; hence, they are more reluctant to share new knowledge or they try to stay their sole proprietor for as long as possible.…”

A Literature Review of Cluster Theory: Are Relations Among Clusters Important?

“…According to our database, several studies were concerned with how universities promote firms’ various performances. For example, universities increase co‐located firms’ patents (Liu, ), update technology (Viljamaa, ), spread knowledge (Kantor and Whalley, ), and build other business relations (Bramwell et al ., ). Apart from assisting the business of firms, we have to point out that universities could be involved in business activities, such as knowledge hubs.…”