This paper analyses the spillover mechanism identifying its main components by analyzing the effect of university-based star scientists through explicit and implicit ties, and the effect of other neighbor firms, on the performance of semiconductor enterprises measured with patents. Explicit ties are modeled by the full and part-time job mobility of scientists located in universities; and implicit ties, by the presence of positive externalities or spillover effects to the firms of untied scientists at Universities in the same economic area. Specifically, this study examines the Silicon Valley and Route 128 cases in detail identifying the differences and similarities between these two major semiconductor regions in their spillover mechanisms. Previous research on high-technology industries has demonstrated the importance of geographically localized "knowledge spillovers" by building specific links between university scientists and firms and estimating the local effects of different types of links. This research goes an step forward, by not only measuring the effect of University research through the direct ties to firms (Zucker, Darby, Armstrong; 1998); but also measuring the importance of the inside industry R&D spillovers in the growth of the region.">
To understand the impact of science and engineering innovations on economic growth requires relating discoveries to products, and identifying the scientists and engineers who are responsible for the knowledge transfer. Studies reliant on geographic proximity alone can show only that economic activity varies positively with the amount of research being done at a university [David (1992), Nelson and Romer (1996), Jaffe (1989,93)]. These "geographically localized knowledge spillovers" have proved unable to explain what it is about research universities that is crucial for their local economic impact (training, the research findings?) and, therefore, are unconvincing both to policy makers and the public. This paper analyses the spillover mechanism identifying its main components by analyzing the effect of university-based star scientists through explicit and implicit ties, and the effect of other neighbor firms, on the performance of semiconductor enterprises measured with patents. Explicit ties are modeled by the full and part-time job mobility of scientists located in universities; and implicit ties, by the presence of positive externalities or spillover effects to the firms of untied scientists at Universities in the same economic area. Specifically, this study examines the Silicon Valley and Route 128 cases in detail identifying the differences and similarities between these two major semiconductor regions in their spillover mechanisms. Previous research on high-technology industries has demonstrated the importance of geographically localized "knowledge spillovers" by building specific links between university scientists and firms and estimating the local effects of different types of links. This research goes an step forward, by not only measuring the effect of University research through the direct ties to firms (Zucker, Darby, Armstrong; 1998); but also measuring the importance of the inside industry R&D spillovers in the growth of the region.
Download Info
To download:
If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the
proper application to
view it first. Information about this may be contained
in the File-Format links below. In case of further problems read
the IDEAS help
file. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS
site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its listing, contact: (Christopher F. Baum).
Related research
Keywords:
Other versions of this item:
References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Cited by: (explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)