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“Does absorptive capacity determine collaborative research returns to innovation? A geographical dimension”

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  • Erika Raquel Badillo

    (Department of Econometrics. University of Barcelona)

  • Rosina Moreno

    (Department of Econometrics. University of Barcelona)

Abstract

This paper aims to estimate the impact of research collaboration with partners in different geographical areas on innovative performance. By using the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel, this study provides evidence that the benefits of research collaboration differ across different dimensions of the geography. We find that the impact of extra-European cooperation on innovation performance is larger than that of national and European cooperation, indicating that firms tend to benefit more from interaction with international partners as a way to access new technologies or specialized and novel knowledge that they are unable to find locally. We also find evidence of the positive role played by absorptive capacity, concluding that it implies a higher premium on the innovation returns to cooperation in the international case and mainly in the European one.

Suggested Citation

  • Erika Raquel Badillo & Rosina Moreno, 2014. "“Does absorptive capacity determine collaborative research returns to innovation? A geographical dimension”," AQR Working Papers 201416, University of Barcelona, Regional Quantitative Analysis Group, revised Oct 2014.
  • Handle: RePEc:aqr:wpaper:201416
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    Keywords

    Innovation cooperation; Technological partners; Geographical location; Performance; Absorptive Capacity; Spanish firms JEL classification: L25; O31; O33; R1;
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