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Regional gatekeepers, inventor networks and inventive performance : Spatial and organizational channels

Author

Listed:
  • Julie Le Gallo

    (CESAER - Centre d'Economie et de Sociologie Rurales Appliquées à l'Agriculture et aux Espaces Ruraux - AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Anne Plunket

    (RITM - Réseaux Innovation Territoires et Mondialisation - Université Paris-Saclay)

Abstract

It is increasingly emphasized that the innovative performance of regions depends on the right balance between local development and external openness. The paper contributes to this discussion by exploring how regional gatekeepers contribute to inventive performance through their intermediation role as they establish extra-local linkages in addition to their local embeddedness. More specifically, we investigate whether firms benefit from the gatekeeping position of their inventors. To do so, we identify corporate inventors with a gatekeeper position, and study whether their presence in inventor teams affects the quality of inventions and differs when gatekeepers cross organizational (intrafirm, interfirm versus science-industry) and/or regional boundaries (one or multiple regions). Our results show that gatekeepers have a higher impact on the quality of inventions when they work for firms involved in inter-firm collaborations unlike external stars who have either no effect or a negative impact on inventive quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Julie Le Gallo & Anne Plunket, 2020. "Regional gatekeepers, inventor networks and inventive performance : Spatial and organizational channels," Post-Print hal-02889468, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02889468
    DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2020.103981
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    Cited by:

    1. Yibo Qiao & Di Wu, 2024. "Relatedness, Complexity and Regional Diversification in the European Union: The Role of Co‐inventor Networks," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 115(4), pages 537-553, September.
    2. Corrocher, Nicoletta & Grabner, Simone Maria & Morrison, Andrea, 2024. "Green technological diversification: The role of international linkages in leaders, followers and catching-up countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    3. Abbasiharofteh, Milad & Kogler, Dieter F. & Lengyel, Balázs, 2023. "Atypical combinations of technologies in regional co-inventor networks," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(10).
    4. Coda Zabetta, Massimiliano & Fusillo, Fabrizio & Quatraro, Francesco & Scandura, Alessandra, 2025. "Knowledge brokers for Circular Bioeconomy: Evidence from European regions," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202508, University of Turin.
    5. Raquel Coelho Reis & Eduardo Gonçalves & Juliana Gonçalves Taveira & André Suriane da Silva & Pedro Vasconcelos do Amaral, 2023. "How do gatekeepers in networks influence the production of new knowledge? Evidence from Brazilian co‐invention networks," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(9), pages 2046-2064, December.
    6. Mariane Santos Françoso¹ & Nicholas S. Vonortas, 2023. "Gatekeepers in regional innovation networks: Evidence from an emerging economy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 821-841, June.
    7. Hohberger, Jan & Wilden, Ralf, 2022. "Geographic diversity of knowledge inputs: The importance of aligning locations of knowledge inputs and inventors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 705-719.
    8. Ordoobody, Joobin, 2022. "Creativity : the interplay of structural and individual characteristics," Other publications TiSEM 750e262e-4c3f-4361-8a1b-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    9. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma, 2021. "Complementary interregional linkages and Smart Specialisation: an empirical study on European regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(6), pages 1059-1070, June.
    10. Eduardo Gonçalves & Ademir Rocha & Raquel Reis, 2023. "The key to knowledge: evaluating the role of gatekeepers on regional inventive performance," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1274-1299, August.
    11. Kumar, Amit & Operti, Elisa, 2025. "Recessions, institutions, and regional exploration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(3).
    12. Xueyun Rong & Zhongkai Yang & Yutao Sun, 2024. "Inventors’ brokerages dynamic and exploratory innovation: the moderating role of knowledge diversity," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 129(5), pages 2533-2558, May.
    13. Cantarella, Michele & Fraccaroli, Nicolò & Volpe, Roberto, 2024. "Does language prevent policy take-up? Evidence from the Italian Start-up Act," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(6).
    14. Carlos Bianchi & Pablo Galaso & Sergio Palomeque, 2023. "Knowledge complexity and brokerage in inter-city networks," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 1773-1799, October.
    15. Dominique Lepore, 2024. "Intermediaries in Innovation Systems: Match or Mismatch?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 12678-12708, September.
    16. Xianzhong Cao & Bo Chen & Yi Guo & Zhenzhen Yi, 2023. "The Impact of Intra-City and Inter-City Innovation Networks on City Economic Growth: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, July.
    17. Yuefang Si & Yi Zhang & Tangwei Teng, 2021. "R&D internationalization and innovation performance of Chinese enterprises: The mediating role of returnees and foreign professionals," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(4), pages 2194-2212, December.
    18. Kai Luo & Shutter Zor, 2022. "China’s non-ferrous metal recycling technology convergence and driving factors: A quadratic assignment procedure analysis based on patent collaboration-based network structural hole," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(8), pages 1-30, August.
    19. Aleksei L. Kalinichenko & Nikita A. Paplavsky & Ivan V. Oseledets, 2025. "How to measure inventive speed? A new patent activity assessment dimension," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 50(4), pages 1815-1839, August.
    20. Mors, Marie Louise & Waguespack, David M., 2021. "Fast success and slow failure: The process speed of dispersed research teams," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(5).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation

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