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Why buy what you can get for free? The effect of foreign direct investment on state patent rates

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  • Ford, Timothy C.
  • Rork, Jonathan C.

Abstract

Research has shown that foreign direct investment (FDI) encourages economic growth at the state level. We also know that knowledge spillovers, measured via patent counts, contribute to economic growth. Using an instrumental variable approach, this paper demonstrates that FDI increases patent rates in US states, thereby providing a link for the mechanism through which FDI impacts growth. Moreover, we find that FDI in neighboring states has just as strong an impact on patent rates, giving further credence to the notion that knowledge can spill across state borders.

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  • Ford, Timothy C. & Rork, Jonathan C., 2010. "Why buy what you can get for free? The effect of foreign direct investment on state patent rates," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 72-81, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:68:y:2010:i:1:p:72-81
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    3. Haiwei Jiang & Yousha Liang & Shiyuan Pan, 2022. "Foreign direct investment and regional innovation: Evidence from China," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(6), pages 1876-1909, June.
    4. Rui Guo & Lutao Ning & Kaihua Chen, 2022. "How do human capital and R&D structure facilitate FDI knowledge spillovers to local firm innovation? a panel threshold approach," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 1921-1947, December.
    5. Rogers, Cynthia L. & Wu, Chen, 2012. "Employment by foreign firms in the U.S.: Do state incentives matter?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 664-680.
    6. Ning, Lutao & Guo, Rui & Chen, Kaihua, 2023. "Does FDI bring knowledge externalities for host country firms to develop complex technologies? The catalytic role of overseas returnee clustering structures," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    7. Yapatake Kossele Thales Pacific & Ngaba Mbai-Akem Gabriella Magalie, 2023. "One Bad Turn Deserves Another: How Energy Production, Financial Instability, and Political Governance Crisis Sustain the Decline of FDI Inflows in the Central African Republic," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 14(2), pages 831-853, June.
    8. Wu, Chen & Rogers, Cynthia L., 2017. "One Size Does Not Fit All: Foreign Direct Investment Promotion Policies across US States," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 48(1), April.
    9. Paula Puskarova & Philipp Piribauer, 2014. "The impact of knowledge spillovers on regional total factor productivity. New empirical evidence from selected European countries," ERSA conference papers ersa14p1813, European Regional Science Association.

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