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Knowledge base combinations and innovation performance in Swedish regions

Author

Listed:
  • Grillitsch, Markus

    (CIRCLE, Lund University)

  • Martin, Roman

    (CIRCLE, Lund University)

  • Srholec, Martin

    (CIRCLE, Lund University & CERGE-EI, Charles University and Economics Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic)

Abstract
The literature on geography of innovation suggests that innovation outcomes depend on the type of knowledge base employed by firms. While knowledge bases are distinct categories with regards to the nature and the rational of knowledge creation, existing studies also stress that innovation usually involves more than one knowledge base. In fact, new ideas often occur when analytical, synthetic and symbolic knowledge intertwines. It remains unclear, though, which combinations of knowledge bases are most conducive to innovation at the level of the firm, and how this is influenced by the knowledge bases available in the regional milieu. Therefore the contribution of this paper is threefold: i) to measure knowledge bases of firms and their regional heterogeneity in a more comprehensive way than the existing empirical literature has been able to do so far, ii) to quantitatively assess the impact of combinations of knowledge bases on innovation output, iii) to analyze the interplay between firm- and region-level knowledge bases (and combinations thereof) in generating innovations. Empirically, the paper applies econometric analysis on firm- and region-level data from Sweden. The knowledge base of firms is captured using detailed occupational data derived from linked employer-employee datasets that is merged at the firm-level with information from Community Innovation Surveys. The empirical analysis reveals in a quantitative way the extent to which the knowledge base combinations affect innovativeness of firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Grillitsch, Markus & Martin, Roman & Srholec, Martin, 2015. "Knowledge base combinations and innovation performance in Swedish regions," Papers in Innovation Studies 2015/6, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2015_006
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    2. Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Lee, Neil, 2020. "Hipsters vs. geeks? Creative workers, STEM and innovation in US cities," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103974, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Crowley, Frank & Jordan, Declan, 2018. "The trade-off between absorptive capacity and appropriability of the returns to innovation effort," SRERC Working Paper Series SRERCWP2018-2, University College Cork (UCC), Spatial and Regional Economic Research Centre (SRERC).
    4. Grillitsch, Markus & Trippl, Michaela, 2016. "Innovation Policies and New Regional Growth Paths: A place-based system failure framework," Papers in Innovation Studies 2016/26, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    5. Bjorn T. ASHEIM & Sverre J. HERSTAD, 2021. "Regional innovation strategy for resilience and transformative industrial path development: evolutionary theoretical perspectives on innovation policy," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 12, pages 43-75, August.
    6. Markus Grillitsch & Bjørn Asheim & Michaela Trippl, 2018. "Unrelated knowledge combinations: the unexplored potential for regional industrial path development," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 11(2), pages 257-274.
    7. Grillitsch, Markus, 2017. "Transformation Capacity of the Innovative Entrepreneur: On the interplay between social structure and agency," Papers in Innovation Studies 2017/2, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    8. Plechero, Monica & Grillitsch, Markus, 2021. "Stepping-up innovation in manufacturing firms: Knowledge combinations in an Italian local production system," Papers in Innovation Studies 2021/5, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    9. Shuaijun Xue & Robert Hassink, 2021. "Combinatorial knowledge bases, proximity and agency across space: the case of the high-end medical device industry in Shanghai," PEGIS geo-disc-2021_04, Institute for Economic Geography and GIScience, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    10. Grillitsch, Markus & Schubert, Torben & Srholec, Martin, 2019. "Knowledge base combinations and firm growth," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 234-247.
    11. Murphree, Michael & Petersen, Bui & Warrian, Peter & Gosine, Ray, 2022. "Scope and scale of technology challenge and MNE subsidiary knowledge sourcing in host countries," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    12. Frank Crowley & Declan Jordan, 2022. "Do local start-ups and knowledge spillovers matter for firm-level R&D investment?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(5), pages 1085-1102, April.
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    14. Tan Tran, 2020. "R&D and Knowledge Expertise of French Regions," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2004, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Feb 2020.
    15. Giancarlo Corò & Monica Plechero & Francesco Rullani & Mario Volpe, 2020. "The Evolution of Technological Space and Firms' Workforce Composition in a Manufacturing Region," Working Papers 2020:12, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari".
    16. Vojtěch Kadlec & Viktor Květoň & Jana Vlčková & Jiří Blažek & Petr Horák, 2023. "Contrasting patterns and dynamics of patent offshoring in European regions," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(4), pages 1300-1326, August.
    17. Davide Castellani & Katiuscia Lavoratori, 2020. "The lab and the plant: Offshore R&D and co-location with production activities," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(1), pages 121-137, February.
    18. Martin, Roman & Wiig Aslesen, Heidi & Grillitsch, Markus & Herstad, Sverre, 2017. "Regional Innovation Systems and Global Flows of Knowledge," Papers in Innovation Studies 2017/7, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    19. Rune Dahl Fitjar & Bram Timmermans, 2017. "Knowledge bases and relatedness: A study of labour mobility in Norwegian regions," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1712, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jun 2017.
    20. Friedrich, Christoph & Feser, Daniel, 2021. "Combining knowledge bases for system innovation in regions: Insights from an East German case study," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 430, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    21. Bauknecht, Dierk & Bischoff, Thore & Bizer, Kilian & Heyen, Dirk Arne & Führ, Martin & Gailhofer, Peter & Proeger, Till & von der Leyen, Kaja, 2019. "Exploring the pathways: Regulatory experiments for Sustainable Development - An interdisciplinary approach," ifh Working Papers 22/2019, Volkswirtschaftliches Institut für Mittelstand und Handwerk an der Universität Göttingen (ifh).
    22. Bellandi, Marco & Chaminade, Cristina & Plechero, Monica, 2018. "Transformation paths and the multi-scalarity of knowledge bases under Industry 4.0 challenges," Papers in Innovation Studies 2018/14, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    23. Torben Schubert & Elisabeth Baier & Christian Rammer, 2018. "Firm capabilities, technological dynamism and the internationalisation of innovation: A behavioural approach," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 70-95, January.
    24. Christoph Friedrich & Daniel Feser, 2024. "Combining knowledge bases for small wins in peripheral regions. An analysis of the role of innovation intermediaries in sustainability transitions," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 44(2), pages 211-236, June.
    25. Zefeng Mi & Yongmin Shang & Gang Zeng, 2022. "The impact of knowledge base on technological innovation of emerging industries from the perspective of related variety: A case study of China’s fuel cell industry," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 57-75, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Knowledge bases; knowledge combination; regions; innovation performance; microdata; cross-level interaction; Sweden;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • R10 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - General

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