Advanced Search
MyIDEAS: Login

Knowledge networks in the Dutch aviation industry: the proximity paradox

Contents:

Author Info

  • Tom Broekel

    ()

  • Ron Boschma

    ()

Abstract

The importance of geographical proximity for interaction and knowledge sharing has been discussed extensively in economic geography in recent years. There is increasing consensus that it is just one out of many types of proximities that might be relevant. We argue that proximity may be a crucial driver for agents to connect and exchange knowledge, but too much proximity between these agents on any of the dimensions might harm their innovative performance at the same time. In a study on knowledge networks in the Dutch aviation industry, we test this so-called proximity paradox empirically. We find evidence that the proximity paradox holds to some degree. Our study clearly shows that cognitive, social and geographical proximity are crucial for explaining the knowledge network of the Dutch aviation industry. But while it takes cognitive, social and geographical proximity to exchange knowledge, we found evidence that proximity lowers firms's innovative performance, but only in the cognitive dimension.

Download Info

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
File URL: http://econ.geo.uu.nl/peeg/peeg0915.pdf
File Function: Version October 2009
Download Restriction: no

Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography in its series Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) with number 0915.

as in new window
Length: 33 pages
Date of creation: Oct 2009
Date of revision: Oct 2009
Handle: RePEc:egu:wpaper:0915

Contact details of provider:
Postal: Secretariaat kamer 635, P.O.Box 80.115, 3508 TC Utrecht
Phone: 030-2531399
Fax: 030-2532037
Web page: http://econ.geo.uu.nl
More information through EDIRC

Related research

Keywords: proximity; paradox; social network analysis; knowledge networks; aviation;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

References

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.:
as in new window
  1. Nooteboom, B. & Vanhaverbeke, W.P.M. & Duijsters, G.M. & Gilsing, V.A. & Oord, A., 2006. "Optimal Cognitive Distance and Absorptive Capacity," Discussion Paper 2006-33, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
  2. Tom Broekel & Martin Binder, 2006. "The Regional Dimension of Knowledge Transfers - A Behavioral Approach," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2006-12, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Evolutionary Economics Group.
  3. Lorenzo Cassi & Anne Plunket, 2010. "The determinants of co-inventor tie formation: proximity and network dynamics," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1015, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Nov 2010.
  4. Jorge Niosi & Majlinda Zhegu, 2005. "Aerospace Clusters: Local or Global Knowledge Spillovers?," Industry & Innovation, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 12(1), pages 5-29.
  5. Ejermo, Olof & Karlsson, Charlie, 2006. "Interregional inventor networks as studied by patent coinventorships," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 412-430, April.
  6. Jerome Vicente & Pierre Balland & Olivier Brossard, 2011. "Getting into Networks and Clusters: Evidence from the Midi-Pyrenean Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Collaboration Network," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 45(8), pages 1059-1078.
  7. Audretsch, David B & Feldman, Maryann P, 1996. "R&D Spillovers and the Geography of Innovation and Production," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(3), pages 630-40, June.
  8. Mowery, David C. & Oxley, Joanne E. & Silverman, Brian S., 1998. "Technological overlap and interfirm cooperation: implications for the resource-based view of the firm," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 507-523, September.
  9. Olav Sorenson & Jasjit Singh, 2007. "Science, Social Networks and Spillovers," Industry & Innovation, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 14(2), pages 219-238.
  10. Ron A. Boschma & Anet B.R. Weterings, 2005. "The effect of regional differences on the performance of software firms in the Netherlands," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0506, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Jan 2005.
  11. Breschi, Stefano & Lissoni, Francesco & Malerba, Franco, 2003. "Knowledge-relatedness in firm technological diversification," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 69-87, January.
  12. Jaffe, Adam B, 1989. "Real Effects of Academic Research," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(5), pages 957-70, December.
  13. Holger Graf, 2011. "Gatekeepers in regional networks of innovators," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 35(1), pages 173-198.
  14. Kriechel, Ben, 2003. "Heterogeneity among displaced workers," Open Access publications from Maastricht University urn:nbn:nl:ui:27-9683, Maastricht University.
  15. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Raphael Suire & Jerome Vicente, 2010. "How do Clusters/Pipelines and Core/Periphery Structures Work Together in Knowledge Processes?," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1008, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Jun 2010.
  16. Ron A. Boschma & Anne L.W. ter Wal, 2006. "Knowledge networks and innovative performance in an industrial district. The case of a footwear district in the South of Italy," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0601, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Jan 2006.
  17. 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.
  18. Ron Boschma & Rikard Eriksson & Urban Lindgren, 2009. "How does labour mobility affect the performance of plants? The importance of relatedness and geographical proximity," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 169-190, March.
  19. Meric S. Gertler, 2003. "Tacit knowledge and the economic geography of context, or The undefinable tacitness of being (there)," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(1), pages 75-99, January.
  20. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
  21. Andre Torre & Alain Rallet, 2005. "Proximity and Localization," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 47-59.
  22. Mia Gray & Elyse Golob & Ann Markusen, 1996. "Big Firms, Long Arms, Wide Shoulders: The 'Hub-and-Spoke' Industrial District in the Seattle Region," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 30(7), pages 651-666.
  23. Andrea Morrison, 2004. "Gatekeepers of knowledge within industrial districts:who they are, how they interact," KITeS Working Papers 163, KITeS, Centre for Knowledge, Internationalization and Technology Studies, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy, revised Nov 2004.
  24. Beise, Marian & Stahl, Harald, 1999. "Public research and industrial innovations in Germany," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(4), pages 397-422, April.
  25. Pierre-Alexandre Balland, 2009. "Proximity and the Evolution of Collaboration Networks: Evidence from R&D Projects within the GNSS Industry," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 0914, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Oct 2009.
  26. Uwe Cantner & Andreas Meder, 2007. "Technological proximity and the choice of cooperation partner," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 45-65, June.
  27. 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, 08.
  28. Tom Broekel & Matthias Buerger & Thomas Brenner, 2010. "An investigation of the relation between cooperation and the innovative success of German regions," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1011, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Oct 2010.
  29. Alessia Sammarra & Lucio Biggiero, 2008. "Heterogeneity and Specificity of Inter-Firm Knowledge Flows in Innovation Networks," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(4), pages 800-829, 06.
  30. Andr Torre Shaw & Jean-Pierre Gilly, 2000. "On the Analytical Dimension of Proximity Dynamics," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 34(2), pages 169-180.
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 in new window

Cited by:
  1. Olivier Brossard & Inès Moussa, 2012. "The trilogy of knowledge spillovers in French regions: a history of nature, channels and boundaries," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1207, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised May 2012.
  2. Tom Broekel & Ron Boschma, 2011. "The cognitive and geographical composition of ego-networks of firms – and how they impact on their innovation performance," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1118, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Aug 2011.
  3. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Mathijs de Vaan & Ron Boschma, 2011. "The Dynamics of Interfirm Networks along the Industry Life Cycle: The Case of the Global Video Games Industry 1987-2007," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1114, Utrecht University, Section of Economic Geography, revised Aug 2011.
  4. Tom Broekel & Antje Schimke & Thomas Brenner, 2011. "The effects of cooperative R&D subsidies and subsidized cooperation on employment growth," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2011-04, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
  5. Tom Broekel & Matte Hartog, 2013. "Determinants of cross-regional R and D collaboration networks: an application of exponential random graph models," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2013-04, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
  6. Emmanouil Tranos & Peter Nijkamp, 2012. "The Death of Distance Revisited: Cyberplace, Physical and Relational Proximities," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 12-066/3, Tinbergen Institute.

Lists

This item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.

Statistics

Access and download statistics

Corrections

When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:egu:wpaper:0915

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ().

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 references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.

If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link 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 profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

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