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The Impact of Research Universities on Regional Economies: The Concept of University Products

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  • Iryna Lendel

    (Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA, iryna.lendel@gmail.com)

Abstract

In what ways do research universities interact with regional economies? The answer to this central question can be found in a framework of the interaction of university products and necessary factors for technology-based economic development. The bundled nature of university products makes it impossible to separately assess the impact of universities on their regional economies. The National Science Foundation’s ranking of top research universities and retrospective data on academic R&D expenditures are used in regression models to measure universities’ long-term effects over the phases of the latest business cycle. The pattern of statistical significance and the signs of the regression coefficients suggest that the presence of research universities has a positive effect on metropolitan economies above cyclical economic changes. The effect differs depending on the scale of university R&D expenditures and suggests that the most prominent research universities have a stronger impact on their regional economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Iryna Lendel, 2010. "The Impact of Research Universities on Regional Economies: The Concept of University Products," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 24(3), pages 210-230, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecdequ:v:24:y:2010:i:3:p:210-230
    DOI: 10.1177/0891242410366561
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    Cited by:

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    2. Iryna Lendel & Haifeng Qian, 2017. "Inside the Great Recession: University Products and Regional Economic Development," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 153-173, March.
    3. Martin Carree & Emilio Congregado & Antonio Golpe & André van Stel, 2015. "Self-employment and job generation in metropolitan areas, 1969-2009," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(3-4), pages 181-201, April.
    4. Guerrero, Maribel & Cunningham, James A. & Urbano, David, 2015. "Economic impact of entrepreneurial universities’ activities: An exploratory study of the United Kingdom," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 748-764.
    5. John V. Winters, 2011. "Human Capital and Population Growth in Nonmetropolitan U.S. Counties," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 25(4), pages 353-365, November.
    6. Baglieri, Daniela & Baldi, Francesco & Tucci, Christopher L., 2018. "University technology transfer office business models: One size does not fit all," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 76, pages 51-63.
    7. Michael Hall & Albert Link, 2015. "Technology-based state growth policies: the case of North Carolina’s Green Business Fund," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(2), pages 437-449, March.
    8. Paul D. Gottlieb, 2011. "Supply or Demand, Make or Buy," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 25(4), pages 303-315, November.
    9. Charlotta Dahlborg & Danielle Lewensohn & Rickard Danell & Carl Johan Sundberg, 2017. "To invent and let others innovate: a framework of academic patent transfer modes," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 538-563, June.
    10. Jaewon Lim & Lay James Gibson & Vera Pavlakovich-Kochi, 2011. "Planning for a high tech/biotech research park," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(3), pages 287-303, August.
    11. Winters, John V, 2010. "Human Capital and Population Growth in Non-Metropolitan U.S. Counties: The Importance of College Student Migration," MPRA Paper 25592, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Bo Zhao, 2019. "Consequences of state disinvestment in public higher education: lessons for the New England states," New England Public Policy Center Research Report 19-1, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

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