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How R&D Financial Subsidies, Regional R&D Input, and Intellectual Property Protection Affect the Sustainable Patent Output of SMEs: Evidence from China

Author

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  • Pengyuan Xu

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

  • Meiqing Zhang

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

  • Min Gui

    (School of Mathematics and Computing Science, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246133, China)

Abstract

The effects of regional R&D input (RRDI) and intensity of intellectual property protection (IPP) on the relationship between R&D financial subsidies (RDFS) and the sustainable patent output of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is currently a topic of debate. Regional financial support and necessary IPP are vital to the sustainable patent output of SMEs. However, empirical evidence to investigate the role of RRDI and intensity of IPP is insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the effect of RDFS on the sustainable patent output of SMEs and analyze the role of RRDI and intensity of IPP in the relationship between RDFS and SMEs’ sustainable patent output. We collected data from the R&D activities of SMEs in 30 provinces of China and performed maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) of six equations. The empirical results show that RDFS have a positive impact on the sustainable patent output of SMEs. Besides, RRDI plays a mediating role in the relationship between RDFS and the sustainable patent output of SMEs. Third, the mediating role of regional R&D personnel input (RRDPI) is more obvious than that of R&D fund input (RRDFI). Finally, the intensity of IPP significantly moderates the direct effect of RDFS on the sustainable patent output of SMEs and the mediation effect via RRDI.

Suggested Citation

  • Pengyuan Xu & Meiqing Zhang & Min Gui, 2020. "How R&D Financial Subsidies, Regional R&D Input, and Intellectual Property Protection Affect the Sustainable Patent Output of SMEs: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:1207-:d:317826
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    2. Myoungjae Choi & Ohjin Kwon & Dongkyu Won & Wooseok Jang, 2021. "Identifying the Policy Direction of National R&D Programs Based on Data Envelopment Analysis and Diversity Index Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Hailin Yao & Wei Huang, 2022. "Effect of R&D Subsidies on External Collaborative Networks and the Sustainable Innovation Performance of Strategic Emerging Enterprises: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Lei Shi & Shan Gao & Airong Xu & Kexin Zheng & Yuanpeng Ji & Xianlei Dong & Lizhi Xing, 2023. "Influence of Enterprise’s Factor Inputs and Co-Opetition Relationships to Its Innovation Output," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-23, January.

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