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Hierarchy and concentration in the American urban system of technological advance

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  • Paul J. Maliszewski
  • Breandán Ó hUallacháin

Abstract

This paper investigates aspects of the urban hierarchy and concentration of patent sub‐categories in United States metropolitan areas by estimating Zipf, Gini and Moran's I coefficients. Results do not support a power law depiction of the location of disaggregate patenting in the entire metropolitan system. The most concentrated and hierarchical patent technologies are computer hardware and software, computer peripherals, information storage, communications, surgery and medical instruments, nuclear and x‐rays, semiconductor devices, optics and organic compounds. Technologies are cross‐classified, which reveals aspects of variety in locational patterns and offers clues into systems of knowledge exchange in urban‐based technological advance. Resumen Este artículo investiga los aspectos de la jerarquía urbana y la concentración de subcategorías de patentes en áreas metropolitanas de los Estados Unidos, mediante la estimación de los coeficientes de Zipf, Gini, y la I de Moran. Los resultados no siguen una ley de potencias para la localización de patentes desagregadas en la totalidad del sistema metropolitano. Las tecnologías de patentes más concentradas y jerárquicas son las de hardware y software, periféricos informáticos, almacenamiento de información, comunicaciones, cirugía e instrumentos médicos, radiología (rayos X, nuclear), dispositivos semiconductores, óptica y compuestos orgánicos. Las tecnologías muestran una clasificación transversal, que revela aspectos de diversidad en los patrones de localización y ofrece indicios sobre los sistemas de intercambio de conocimientos en el avance tecnológico de carácter urbano.

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  • Paul J. Maliszewski & Breandán Ó hUallacháin, 2012. "Hierarchy and concentration in the American urban system of technological advance," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 91(4), pages 743-758, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:presci:v:91:y:2012:i:4:p:743-758
    DOI: 10.1111/pirs.2012.91.issue-4
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    2. Choi, Hyo Shin & Sohn, So Young & Yeom, Ho Jeong, 2018. "Technological composition of US metropolitan statistical areas with high-impact patents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 72-83.

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