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Agglomeration of Invention in the Bay Area: Not Just ICT

Author

Listed:
  • Chris Forman
  • Avi Goldfarb
  • Shane Greenstein

Abstract

We document that the Bay Area rose from 4% of all successful US patent applications in 1976 to 16% in 2008. This is partly driven by the increase in the prevalence of information and communication technology; however, even for patents unrelated to information and communication technology, we see a disproportionate increase in the share of US patents from the Bay Area. We interpret this growth as a trend to coagglomeration in invention across technologies, and explore different dimensions of this trend.

Suggested Citation

  • Chris Forman & Avi Goldfarb & Shane Greenstein, 2016. "Agglomeration of Invention in the Bay Area: Not Just ICT," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(5), pages 146-151, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:106:y:2016:i:5:p:146-51
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20161018
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James Bessen & Robert M. Hunt, 2007. "An Empirical Look at Software Patents," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 157-189, March.
    2. Ashish Arora & Lee G. Branstetter & Matej Drev, 2013. "Going Soft: How the Rise of Software-Based Innovation Led to the Decline of Japan's IT Industry and the Resurgence of Silicon Valley," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 95(3), pages 757-775, July.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kristina McElheran & J. Frank Li & Erik Brynjolfsson & Zachary Kroff & Emin Dinlersoz & Lucia S. Foster & Nikolas Zolas, 2023. "AI Adoption in America: Who, What, and Where," NBER Working Papers 31788, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Jorge Guzman & Fiona Murray & Scott Stern & Heidi Williams, 2023. "Accelerating Innovation Ecosystems: The Promise and Challenges of Regional Innovation Engines," NBER Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy, volume 3, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Georg von Graevenitz & Stuart J. H. Graham & Amanda F. Myers, 2022. "Distance (still) hampers diffusion of innovations," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(2), pages 227-241, February.
    5. Rammer, Christian & Kinne, Jan & Blind, Knut, 2016. "Microgeography of innovation in the city: Location patterns of innovative firms in Berlin," ZEW Discussion Papers 16-080, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    6. Adnan Velic, 2023. "Factor Substitution Possibilities, Labor Share Dynamics, and Inequality in an Age of Intangibles," Trinity Economics Papers tep0723, Trinity College Dublin, Department of Economics.
    7. Christian Rammer & Jan Kinne & Knut Blind, 2020. "Knowledge proximity and firm innovation: A microgeographic analysis for Berlin," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(5), pages 996-1014, April.
    8. Koutroumpis, Pantelis & Leiponen, Aija & Thomas, Llewellyn D W, 2017. "Invention Machines: How Control Instruments and Information Technologies Drove Global Technologigal Progress over a Century of Invention," ETLA Working Papers 52, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.
    9. Pfister, Curdin & Koomen, Miriam & Harhoff, Dietmar & Backes-Gellner, Uschi, 2021. "Regional innovation effects of applied research institutions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(4).
    10. Georg von Graevenitz & Stuart J. H. Graham & Amanda Myers, 2019. "Distance (Still) Hampers Diffusion of Innovations," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP) 2019-05, Centre for Competition Policy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    11. Richard Florida & Karen M. King, 2018. "Urban Start-up Districts: Mapping Venture Capital and Start-up Activity Across ZIP Codes," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 32(2), pages 99-118, May.
    12. Shoufu Yang & Hanhui Zhao & Yiming Chen & Zitian Fu & Chaohao Sun & Tsangyao Chang, 2023. "The Impact of Digital Enterprise Agglomeration on Carbon Intensity: A Study Based on the Extended Spatial STIRPAT Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-33, June.
    13. Mercedes Delgado & Fiona Murray, 2021. "Mapping the Regions, Organizations and Individuals That Drive Inclusion in the Innovation Economy," NBER Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy, volume 1, pages 67-101, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • L63 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Microelectronics; Computers; Communications Equipment
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
    • 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
    • R32 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Other Spatial Production and Pricing Analysis

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