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Estimating the Local Productivity Spillovers from Science

Author

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  • Subhra Saha
  • Joseph Staudt
  • Bruce Weinbergx

Abstract

We estimate the local productivity spillovers from science by relating wages and real estate prices across metros to measures of scienti c activity in those metros. We address three fundamental challenges: (1) factor input adjustments using wages and real estate prices, along with Shepards Lemma, to estimate changes metros' productivity, which must equal changes in unit production cost; (2) unobserved differences in metros/causality using a share shift index that exploits historic variation in the mix of research in metros interacted with trends in federal funding for specific fields as an instrument; (3) unobserved differences in workers using data on the states in which people are born. Our estimates show a strong positive relationship between wages and scientifc research and a weak positive relationship for real estate prices. Overall, we estimate high rate of return to research.

Suggested Citation

  • Subhra Saha & Joseph Staudt & Bruce Weinbergx, 2017. "Estimating the Local Productivity Spillovers from Science," Working Papers 17-56, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:17-56
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Goldschlag, Nathan & Bianchini, Stefano & Lane, Julia & SanMartin Sola, Joseba & Weinberg, Bruce A., 2016. "Research Funding and Regional Economies," IZA Discussion Papers 10081, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Nathan Goldschlag & Julia Lane & Bruce A. Weinberg & Nikolas Zolas, 2019. "Proximity and economic activity: An analysis of vendor‐university transactions," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(1), pages 163-182, January.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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