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Knowledge spillovers through inventor mobility: the effect on firm-level patenting

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  • Jaana Rahko

    (University of Vaasa)

Abstract

Labor mobility is heralded as a key channel of knowledge spillovers between firms. However, the empirical evidence on labor mobility’s effects on firm performance leaves many unanswered questions. In this paper, we analyze the effect of inventor mobility on firm-level patenting activity by studying a sample of European R&D investing firms. Especially, the characteristics of mobile inventors and their previous employers are analyzed to discover the prerequisites of successful knowledge transfer. The empirical results suggest that mobile patent inventors transfer knowledge and affect the hiring firm’s future innovation performance. Inventor mobility in general does not significantly increase patenting; however, hiring inventors with several prior patents and different kinds of technological expertise contributes to firms’ future patenting. Furthermore, hiring inventors from actively patenting firms contributes to future patenting. We also find that outbound mobility of inventors weakens the source firm’s patenting performance, especially when the firm loses inventors who have been highly productive, have worked in the firm’s core field of technology or move to technologically similar firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaana Rahko, 2017. "Knowledge spillovers through inventor mobility: the effect on firm-level patenting," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 585-614, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:42:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s10961-016-9494-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-016-9494-3
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    2. Fascia, Michael, 2019. "Working Paper Series: Innovation Enablers," OSF Preprints 39vbq, Center for Open Science.
    3. Varshney, Mayank & Jain, Amit, 2023. "Understanding “reverse” knowledge flows following inventor exit in the semiconductor industry," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
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    5. Igna, Ioana A., 2018. "The effects of educational mismatch on inventor productivity. Evidence from Sweden, 2003-2010," Papers in Innovation Studies 2018/8, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Patenting; Inventor; Knowledge spillovers; Labor mobility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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