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Scientific publications at U.S. federal research laboratories

Author

Listed:
  • Albert N. Link

    (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)

  • John T. Scott

    (Dartmouth College)

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on scientific publications as an innovative output from the research efforts at U.S. federal laboratories. The data used relate to Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). The relationship between R&D expenditures at these federal laboratories and their peer-reviewed scientific publications allows us to make inferences about the return to public-sector R&D. We examine two complementary statistical models. From the first model, we find that a 10% increase in constant dollar public-sector R&D is associated with between a 15.5 and 21.5% increase in scientific publications. From the second model, we find that the annual rate of return generated by an additional $1 million of R&D-based knowledge stock varies across the FFRDCs, averaging about 93 additional scientific publications, with the statistically significant values ranging from about 1 to as many as about 400 additional scientific publications.

Suggested Citation

  • Albert N. Link & John T. Scott, 2021. "Scientific publications at U.S. federal research laboratories," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 126(3), pages 2227-2248, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:scient:v:126:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s11192-020-03854-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11192-020-03854-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Kraft, Kornelius & Thorwarth, Susanne, 2009. "The knowledge production of 'R' and 'D'," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 105(1), pages 141-143, October.
    2. Albert N. Link & Cody A. Morris & Martijn van Hasselt, 2019. "The impact of public R&D investments on patenting activity: technology transfer at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(5), pages 536-546, July.
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    4. Albert N. Link & John T. Scott, 2021. "Technological change in the production of new scientific knowledge: a second look," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(4), pages 371-381, May.
    5. Zvi Griliches, 1998. "Issues in Assessing the Contribution of Research and Development to Productivity Growth," NBER Chapters, in: R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, pages 17-45, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    7. Seung Ki Moon & Xiaomeng Chang & Janis Terpenny & Timothy W. Simpson & Soundar R. T. Kumara, 2009. "Towards a Knowledge Support System for Product Family Design," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Frank T Piller & Mitchell M Tseng (ed.), Handbook of Research in Mass Customization and Personalization (In 2 Volumes), chapter 16, pages 297-318, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    8. Chuchu Chen & Albert N. Link & Zachary T. Oliver, 2018. "U.S. federal laboratories and their research partners: a quantitative case study," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 115(1), pages 501-517, April.
    9. Erik Stam & Andrew Ven, 2021. "Entrepreneurial ecosystem elements," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 809-832, February.
    10. Link, Albert N. & van Hasselt, Martijn, 2019. "A public sector knowledge production function," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 64-66.
    11. Vidita Choudhry & Todd A. Ponzio, 2020. "Modernizing federal technology transfer metrics," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 544-559, April.
    12. Audretsch, David & Link, Albert & van Hasselt, Martijn, 2019. "Knowledge Begets Knowledge: Knowledge Spillovers and the Output of Scientific Papers from U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Projects," UNCG Economics Working Papers 19-12, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Economics.
    13. Albert N. Link & John T. Scott, 2020. "Creativity-enhancing technological change in the production of scientific knowledge," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(5), pages 489-500, July.
    14. James Adams & Zvi Griliches, 1996. "Measuring Science: An Exploration," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 1749, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
    15. Albert N. Link & John T. Scott, 2013. "The theory and practice of public-sector R&D economic impact analysis," Chapters, in: Albert N. Link & Nicholas S. Vonortas (ed.), Handbook on the Theory and Practice of Program Evaluation, chapter 2, pages 15-55, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. Hall, Bronwyn H & Ziedonis, Rosemarie Ham, 2001. "The Patent Paradox Revisited: An Empirical Study of Patenting in the U.S. Semiconductor Industry, 1979-1995," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 32(1), pages 101-128, Spring.
    17. David B. Audretsch & Albert N. Link & Martijn Hasselt, 2019. "Knowledge begets knowledge: university knowledge spillovers and the output of scientific papers from U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 121(3), pages 1367-1383, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Md Zubab Ibne Moid & Emefa Surprize Deborah Buaka & Albert N. Link, 2024. "Enhancing the Knowledge Economy: a Cross-Country Study of Knowledge Creation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(3), pages 11388-11396, September.
    2. Haodong Yang & Li Liu & Gaofeng Wang, 2024. "Does large-scale research infrastructure affect regional knowledge innovation, and how? A case study of the National Supercomputing Center in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Shin, Seungryul Ryan & Lee, Jisoo & Jung, Yura Rosemary & Hwang, Junseok, 2022. "The diffusion of scientific discoveries in government laboratories: The role of patents filed by government scientists," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(5).
    4. Sebastian Aparicio & David Audretsch & David Urbano, 2022. "Governmental Support for Entrepreneurship in Spain: An Institutional Approach," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 243(4), pages 29-49, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Scientific publications; Federal laboratory; R&D; Evaluation; Return on investment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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