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Effects of multilevel policy mix of public R&D subsidies: Empirical evidence from Japanese local SMEs
[The Impact of R&D Subsidies on R&D Employment Composition]

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  • Hiroyuki Okamuro
  • Junichi Nishimura

Abstract

Regional innovation policies have been implemented in several countries. In Japan, controlled decentralization of traditionally centralized innovation policy is ongoing, so that we can observe multilevel policy mix of public R&D (research and development) subsidies by national, prefecture, and city governments. However, empirical studies on multilevel R&D support using panel data and considering municipality level have been scarce. Based on original survey data and financial data of manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs), we estimate their total factor productivity (TFP) and empirically investigate the effects of public R&D subsidies by national, prefecture, and city governments. We employ firm-level fixed-effect panel estimation in order to control for the effects of any unobservable time-invariant factors. We find that multilevel subsidies (especially those involving city subsidies) complementarily and persistently increase recipients’ TFP. These results suggest significant advantages of multilevel policy mix, especially those involving city subsidies.

Suggested Citation

  • Hiroyuki Okamuro & Junichi Nishimura, 2021. "Effects of multilevel policy mix of public R&D subsidies: Empirical evidence from Japanese local SMEs [The Impact of R&D Subsidies on R&D Employment Composition]," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(6), pages 829-840.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:scippl:v:48:y:2021:i:6:p:829-840.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hiroyuki Okamuro & Junichi Nishimura, 2020. "What Shapes Local Innovation Policies? Empirical Evidence from Japanese Cities," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Takano, Keisuke & Okamuro, Hiroyuki, 2019. "Local R&D support as a driver of network diversification? A comparative evaluation of innovation policies in neighboring prefectures in Japan," TDB-CAREE Discussion Paper Series E-2019-02, Teikoku Databank Center for Advanced Empirical Research on Enterprise and Economy, Graduate School of Economics, Hitotsubashi University.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    R&D subsidy; local authority; multilevel policy mix; SMEs; policy evaluation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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