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Travel costs and inter-city collaborative innovation: Evidence of high-speed railway in China

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  • Kang, Meiling
  • Li, Yucheng
  • Zhao, Zhongkuang
  • Song, Min
  • Yi, Jun

Abstract

This research takes use of China's HSR's staggered implementation to examine the influence of lower travel costs on inter-city collaborative inventions. By adopting a difference-in-differences approach and a special sample selection strategy, we verify that the HSR connection enhances the likelihood of new collaborations by 1.7 percent, and the number of collaborative inventions by 4.3 percent, but decreases their quality. Further investigation reveals that newly-formed collaborations are mostly responsible for the decline in quality, but the originality of existing collaborations grows dramatically. In terms of the mechanisms, we find that knowledge spillovers are the primary driver of collaboration. Besides, the HSR connection could enhance the effect of organizational and social proximity to facilitate collaborative innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Kang, Meiling & Li, Yucheng & Zhao, Zhongkuang & Song, Min & Yi, Jun, 2023. "Travel costs and inter-city collaborative innovation: Evidence of high-speed railway in China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 286-302.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:streco:v:65:y:2023:i:c:p:286-302
    DOI: 10.1016/j.strueco.2023.02.002
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Collaborative Innovation; Travel cost; Knowledge spillover; Complex technology; Proximity;
    All these keywords.

    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
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R41 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion; Travel Time; Safety and Accidents; Transportation Noise

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