IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/respol/v49y2020i5s0048733320300615.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Regional gatekeepers, inventor networks and inventive performance: Spatial and organizational channels

Author

Listed:
  • Gallo, Julie Le
  • Plunket, Anne

Abstract

It is increasingly emphasized that the innovative performance of regions depends on the right balance between local development and external openness. The paper contributes to this discussion by exploring how regional gatekeepers contribute to inventive performance through their intermediation role as they establish extra-local linkages in addition to their local embeddedness. More specifically, we investigate whether firms benefit from the gatekeeping position of their inventors. To do so, we identify corporate inventors with a gatekeeper position, and study whether their presence in inventor teams affects the quality of inventions and differs when gatekeepers cross organizational (intrafirm, interfirm versus science-industry) and/or regional boundaries (one or multiple regions). Our results show that gatekeepers have a higher impact on the quality of inventions when they work for firms involved in inter-firm collaborations unlike external stars who have either no effect or a negative impact on inventive quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Gallo, Julie Le & Plunket, Anne, 2020. "Regional gatekeepers, inventor networks and inventive performance: Spatial and organizational channels," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(5).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:49:y:2020:i:5:s0048733320300615
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2020.103981
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048733320300615
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.respol.2020.103981?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee Fleming & David M. Waguespack, 2007. "Brokerage, Boundary Spanning, and Leadership in Open Innovation Communities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(2), pages 165-180, April.
    2. Holger Graf & Jens Kruger, 2011. "The Performance of Gatekeepers in Innovator Networks," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 69-88.
    3. Lorenzo Cassi & Anne Plunket, 2014. "Proximity, network formation and inventive performance: in search of the proximity paradox," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 53(2), pages 395-422, September.
    4. Manuel Trajtenberg, 1990. "A Penny for Your Quotes: Patent Citations and the Value of Innovations," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 21(1), pages 172-187, Spring.
    5. Feldman, Maryann P. & Kogler, Dieter F., 2010. "Stylized Facts in the Geography of Innovation," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 381-410, Elsevier.
    6. Nicolas van Zeebroeck & Bruno van Pottelsberghe de la Potterie, 2011. "Filing strategies and patent value," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(6), pages 539-561, February.
    7. Konstantinos Grigoriou & Frank T. Rothaermel, 2017. "Organizing for knowledge generation: internal knowledge networks and the contingent effect of external knowledge sourcing," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 395-414, February.
    8. Carolina Castaldi & Koen Frenken & Bart Los, 2015. "Related Variety, Unrelated Variety and Technological Breakthroughs: An analysis of US State-Level Patenting," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 767-781, May.
    9. Giuliani, Elisa & Bell, Martin, 2005. "The micro-determinants of meso-level learning and innovation: evidence from a Chilean wine cluster," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 47-68, February.
    10. Frederic Rychen & Jean-Benoit Zimmermann, 2008. "Clusters in the Global Knowledge-based Economy: Knowledge Gatekeepers and Temporary Proximity," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 767-776.
    11. Lissoni, Francesco, 2010. "Academic inventors as brokers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 843-857, September.
    12. Nicolas CARAYOL & Lorenzo CASSI, 2009. "Who\'s Who in Patents. A Bayesian approach," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2009-07, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    13. Roderik Ponds & Frank Van Oort & Koen Frenken, 2007. "The geographical and institutional proximity of research collaboration," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 86(3), pages 423-443, August.
    14. Singh, Jasjit, 2008. "Distributed R&D, cross-regional knowledge integration and quality of innovative output," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 77-96, February.
    15. Nathalie Lazaric & Christian Longhi & Catherine Thomas, 2008. "Gatekeepers of Knowledge versus Platforms of Knowledge: From Potential to Realized Absorptive Capacity," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 837-852.
    16. Martina Kauffeld-Monz & Michael Fritsch, 2013. "Who Are the Knowledge Brokers in Regional Systems of Innovation? A Multi-Actor Network Analysis," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(5), pages 669-685, May.
    17. Harhoff, Dietmar & Scherer, Frederic M. & Vopel, Katrin, 2003. "Citations, family size, opposition and the value of patent rights," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(8), pages 1343-1363, September.
    18. Nooteboom, Bart & Van Haverbeke, Wim & Duysters, Geert & Gilsing, Victor & van den Oord, Ad, 2007. "Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 1016-1034, September.
    19. Andrea Morrison & Roberta Rabellotti & Lorenzo Zirulia, 2013. "When Do Global Pipelines Enhance the Diffusion of Knowledge in Clusters?," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 89(1), pages 77-96, January.
    20. Ray Reagans & Ezra W. Zuckerman, 2001. "Networks, Diversity, and Productivity: The Social Capital of Corporate R&D Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(4), pages 502-517, August.
    21. Stefano Breschi & Camilla Lenzi, 2015. "The Role of External Linkages and Gatekeepers for the Renewal and Expansion of US Cities' Knowledge Base, 1990-2004," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 782-797, May.
    22. Melissa A. Schilling & Corey C. Phelps, 2007. "Interfirm Collaboration Networks: The Impact of Large-Scale Network Structure on Firm Innovation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(7), pages 1113-1126, July.
    23. Bercovitz, Janet & Feldman, Maryann, 2011. "The mechanisms of collaboration in inventive teams: Composition, social networks, and geography," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 81-93, February.
    24. Lee Fleming, 2001. "Recombinant Uncertainty in Technological Search," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 47(1), pages 117-132, January.
    25. Ernest Miguelez & Rosina Moreno, 2018. "Relatedness, external linkages and regional innovation in Europe," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(5), pages 688-701, May.
    26. Tom Broekel & Wladimir Mueller, 2018. "Critical links in knowledge networks – What about proximities and gatekeeper organisations?," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(10), pages 919-939, November.
    27. Jasjit Singh, 2005. "Collaborative Networks as Determinants of Knowledge Diffusion Patterns," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(5), pages 756-770, May.
    28. Andrea Morrison, 2008. "Gatekeepers of Knowledge within Industrial Districts: Who They Are, How They Interact," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 817-835.
    29. Patricia Laurens & Michel Zitt & Elise Bassecoulard, 2010. "Delineation of the genomics field by hybrid citation-lexical methods: interaction with experts and validation process," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 82(3), pages 647-662, March.
    30. Ronald S. Burt, 2008. "Information and structural holes: comment on Reagans and Zuckerman," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 17(5), pages 953-969, October.
    31. Elisa Giuliani, 2011. "Role of Technological Gatekeepers in the Growth of Industrial Clusters: Evidence from Chile," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(10), pages 1329-1348, November.
    32. Ron Boschma & Koen Frenken, 2010. "The Spatial Evolution of Innovation Networks: A Proximity Perspective," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 5, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    33. Lori Rosenkopf & Atul Nerkar, 2001. "Beyond local search: boundary‐spanning, exploration, and impact in the optical disk industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(4), pages 287-306, April.
    34. Tom Broekel & Ron Boschma, 2012. "Knowledge networks in the Dutch aviation industry: the proximity paradox," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 409-433, March.
    35. Jeongsik “Jay” Lee, 2010. "Heterogeneity, Brokerage, and Innovative Performance: Endogenous Formation of Collaborative Inventor Networks," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(4), pages 804-822, August.
    36. Ann Markusen, 1996. "Sticky Places in Slippery Space: A Typology of Industrial Districts," Economic Geography, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 72(3), pages 293-313, July.
    37. Michael L. Tushman & Ralph Katz, 1980. "External Communication and Project Performance: An Investigation into the Role of Gatekeepers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(11), pages 1071-1085, November.
    38. Sam Arts & Reinhilde Veugelers, 2015. "Technology familiarity, recombinant novelty, and breakthrough invention," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 24(6), pages 1215-1246.
    39. Lobo, José & Strumsky, Deborah, 2008. "Metropolitan patenting, inventor agglomeration and social networks: A tale of two effects," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 871-884, May.
    40. Stefano Breschi & Francesco Lissoni, 2009. "Mobility of skilled workers and co-invention networks: an anatomy of localized knowledge flows," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(4), pages 439-468, July.
    41. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
    42. Bart Nooteboom, 2000. "Learning by Interaction: Absorptive Capacity, Cognitive Distance and Governance," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 4(1), pages 69-92, March.
    43. Iacus, Stefano M. & King, Gary & Porro, Giuseppe, 2012. "Causal Inference without Balance Checking: Coarsened Exact Matching," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(1), pages 1-24, January.
    44. Jason Owen-Smith & Walter W. Powell, 2004. "Knowledge Networks as Channels and Conduits: The Effects of Spillovers in the Boston Biotechnology Community," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(1), pages 5-21, February.
    45. Stephen P. Borgatti, 2006. "Identifying sets of key players in a social network," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 21-34, April.
    46. Juan Alcácer & Minyuan Zhao, 2012. "Local R&D Strategies and Multilocation Firms: The Role of Internal Linkages," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(4), pages 734-753, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma, 2021. "Complementary interregional linkages and Smart Specialisation: an empirical study on European regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(6), pages 1059-1070, June.
    2. Abbasiharofteh, Milad & Kogler, Dieter F. & Lengyel, Balázs, 2023. "Atypical combinations of technologies in regional co-inventor networks," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 52(10), pages 1-1.
    3. Carlos Bianchi & Pablo Galaso & Sergio Palomeque, 2023. "Knowledge complexity and brokerage in inter-city networks," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 1773-1799, October.
    4. Mariane Santos Françoso¹ & Nicholas S. Vonortas, 2023. "Gatekeepers in regional innovation networks: Evidence from an emerging economy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 821-841, June.
    5. Hohberger, Jan & Wilden, Ralf, 2022. "Geographic diversity of knowledge inputs: The importance of aligning locations of knowledge inputs and inventors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 705-719.
    6. Ordoobody, Joobin, 2022. "Creativity : the interplay of structural and individual characteristics," Other publications TiSEM 750e262e-4c3f-4361-8a1b-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Xianzhong Cao & Bo Chen & Yi Guo & Zhenzhen Yi, 2023. "The Impact of Intra-City and Inter-City Innovation Networks on City Economic Growth: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, July.
    8. Yuefang Si & Yi Zhang & Tangwei Teng, 2021. "R&D internationalization and innovation performance of Chinese enterprises: The mediating role of returnees and foreign professionals," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2194-2212, December.
    9. Eduardo Gonçalves & Ademir Rocha & Raquel Reis, 2023. "The key to knowledge: evaluating the role of gatekeepers on regional inventive performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1274-1299, August.
    10. Mors, Marie Louise & Waguespack, David M., 2021. "Fast success and slow failure: The process speed of dispersed research teams," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(5).
    11. Abbasiharofteh, Milad & Kogler, Dieter F. & Lengyel, Balázs, 2023. "Atypical combinations of technologies in regional co-inventor networks," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(10).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Julie Le Gallo & Anne Plunket, 2016. "Technological gatekeepers, regional inventor networks and inventive performance," Working Papers hal-01422916, HAL.
    2. Stefano Breschi & Camilla Lenzi, 2015. "The Role of External Linkages and Gatekeepers for the Renewal and Expansion of US Cities' Knowledge Base, 1990-2004," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 782-797, May.
    3. Abbasiharofteh, Milad & Kogler, Dieter F. & Lengyel, Balázs, 2023. "Atypical combinations of technologies in regional co-inventor networks," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(10).
    4. Lorenzo Cassi & Anne Plunket, 2014. "Proximity, network formation and inventive performance: in search of the proximity paradox," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 53(2), pages 395-422, September.
    5. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma & Koen Frenken, 2015. "Proximity and Innovation: From Statics to Dynamics," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(6), pages 907-920, June.
    6. Abbasiharofteh, Milad & Kogler, Dieter F. & Lengyel, Balázs, 2023. "Atypical combinations of technologies in regional co-inventor networks," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 52(10), pages 1-1.
    7. Zhang, JingJing & Yan, Yan & Guan, JianCheng, 2019. "Recombinant distance, network governance and recombinant innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 260-272.
    8. Monica Coffano & Dominique Foray & Michele Pezzoni, 2017. "Does inventor centrality foster regional innovation? The case of the Swiss medical devices sector," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(8), pages 1206-1218, August.
    9. William Arant & Dirk Fornahl & Nils Grashof & Kolja Hesse & Cathrin Söllner, 2019. "University-industry collaborations—The key to radical innovations? [Universität-Industrie-Kooperationen – Der Schlüssel zu radikalen Innovationen?]," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 39(2), pages 119-141, October.
    10. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma & Koen Frenken, 2020. "Proximity, Innovation and Networks: A Concise Review and Some Next Steps," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2019, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Mar 2020.
    11. Zafer Sonmez, 2018. "Interregional inventor collaboration and the commercial value of patented inventions: evidence from the US biotechnology industry," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 61(2), pages 399-438, September.
    12. Eduardo Gonçalves & Ademir Rocha & Raquel Reis, 2023. "The key to knowledge: evaluating the role of gatekeepers on regional inventive performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1274-1299, August.
    13. Kaihuang Zhang & Qinglan Qian & Yijing Zhao, 2020. "Evolution of Guangzhou Biomedical Industry Innovation Network Structure and Its Proximity Mechanism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, March.
    14. Tom Broekel & Wladimir Mueller, 2018. "Critical links in knowledge networks – What about proximities and gatekeeper organisations?," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(10), pages 919-939, November.
    15. Tubiana, Matteo & Miguelez, Ernest & Moreno, Rosina, 2022. "In knowledge we trust: Learning-by-interacting and the productivity of inventors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).
    16. Cathrin Söllner & Dirk Fornahl, 2021. "Unleashing Inventive Power - Solving cognitive, social and geographic distance issues with cultural proximity," Bremen Papers on Economics & Innovation 2103, University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.
    17. Abbasiharofteh, Milad & Kinne, Jan & Krüger, Miriam, 2021. "The strength of weak and strong ties in bridging geographic and cognitive distances," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-049, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    18. Milad Abbasiharofteh & Dieter F. Kogler & Balazs Lengyel, 2020. "Atypical combination of technologies in regional co-inventor networks," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2055, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Nov 2020.
    19. Joan Crespo & Raphaël Suire & Jérôme Vicente, 2016. "Network structural properties for cluster long-run dynamics: evidence from collaborative R&D networks in the European mobile phone industry," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press, vol. 25(2), pages 261-282.
    20. Lorenzo Cassi & Anne Plunket, 2015. "Research Collaboration in Co-inventor Networks: Combining Closure, Bridging and Proximities," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(6), pages 936-954, June.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gatekeepers; Global pipelines; Inventor networks; Inventor teams; Firm collaborations; Organizational and geographical proximity; Patent quality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:respol:v:49:y:2020:i:5:s0048733320300615. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/respol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.