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The Impact of University Research on Corporate Patenting

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  • Christian Helmers
  • Mark Rogers

Abstract

This paper analyses the association between the number of patenting manufacturing firms and the quantity and quality of relevant university research across UK postcode areas. We show that different measures of research `power' and `excellence' positively affect the patenting of small firms within the same postcode area. Patenting by large firms, in contrast, is unaffected by research undertaken in nearby universities. This confirms the commonly held view that location matters more for small firms than large firms. We also investigate specific channels of technology transfer, finding that university-industry knowledge transfer occurs through both formal and informal channels. From a methodological point of view, we contribute to the existing literature by accounting for potential simultaneity between university research and patenting of local firms by adopting an instrumental variable approach. Moreover, we also allow for the effects of the presence of universities in neighbouring postcode areas to influence firms' patenting activity by incorporating spatial neighborhood effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Helmers & Mark Rogers, 2010. "The Impact of University Research on Corporate Patenting," SERC Discussion Papers 0054, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:sercdp:0054
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    Cited by:

    1. Haskel, J & Haskel, J & Hughes, A & Bascavusoglu-Moreau, E, 2014. "The economic significance of the UK science base: a report for the Campaign for Science and Engineering," Working Papers 13751, Imperial College, London, Imperial College Business School.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Patents; universities; knowledge transfer; spillover; UK;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

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