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Is Distance Dying at Last?

Author

Listed:
  • Rachel Griffith
  • Sokbae Lee
  • John Van Reenen

Abstract

Economists have long been sceptical of claims about the 'death of distance' - the idea that new technology has diminished the significance of geography for economic outcomes. Research by Sokbae Lee, Rachel Griffith and John Van Reenen, which looks at patent citations over a quarter of a century, finds the first hard evidence that distance is indeed becoming less important. Their study finds that measured by the relative speed of patent citations over time, the flow of ideas between countries is getting quicker. If new ideas are benefiting other countries more quickly, it may make less sense to subsidise corporate R&D.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Griffith & Sokbae Lee & John Van Reenen, 2008. "Is Distance Dying at Last?," CentrePiece - The magazine for economic performance 240, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepcnp:240
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    File URL: https://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp240.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Carlo Menon, 2009. "Stars and Comets: An Exploration of the Patent Universe," SERC Discussion Papers 0037, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Philippe Aghion & Antoine Dechezleprêtre & David Hémous & Ralf Martin & John Van Reenen, 2016. "Carbon Taxes, Path Dependency, and Directed Technical Change: Evidence from the Auto Industry," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(1), pages 1-51.
    3. Wiljan van den Berge & Jonneke Bolhaar & Roel van Elk, 2017. "Knowledge diffusion across regions and countries: evidence from patent citations," CPB Discussion Paper 348, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

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