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The relevance of scientific knowledge externalities for technological change and resulting inventions across European metropolitan areas

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Abstract

Contrary to perceptions in which technological development proceeds independently of scientific research, the interplay between science and technology has been recognized as an essential part in technological change, industrial competitiveness, and economic growth. While the process of knowledge exchanges between the nexus is conceptually well grounded in relevant literatures, the absence of quantitative measures and assessments of such linkages may underestimate the importance of scientific knowledge inputs for generating high-impact innovative outcomes. In this regard, we propose a large quantitative analysis on knowledge externalities from science to technology by investigating patent citations to science data across European metropolitan regions. First, we construct a dataset of patent citations to scientific knowledge that includes information on the spatial origins of knowledge spillovers. Subsequently, the ratio of internal scientific knowledge sourcing to external sources and its effect on patent citation impact is evaluated. Findings suggest that regions with a higher reliance on their internal scientific resources tend to generate inventions with higher technological impact, and that a strong connection between science and technology is even more effective in advanced industrial regions.

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Acknowledgements

Hyunha Shin & Dieter F. Kogler acknowledge fundingfrom the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme [grant agreement number 715631, ERC TechEvo]. Keungoui Kim & Dieter F. Kogler acknowledge funding from the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) under the SFI Science Policy Research Programme [grant agreement number 17/SPR/5324, SciTechSpace].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Green Technology, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

    Hyunha Shin

  2. Spatial Dynamics Lab, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Hyunha Shin & Dieter F. Kogler

  3. Insight Centre for Data Analytics, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Dieter F. Kogler

  4. School of Applied Artificial Intelligence, Handong Global University, Pohang, Korea (Republic of)

    Keungoui Kim

Authors
  1. Hyunha Shin
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  2. Dieter F. Kogler
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  3. Keungoui Kim
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Correspondence to Keungoui Kim.

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H. Shin, D.F. Kogler and K. Kim declare that they have no competing interests.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 4 Geographic profile of the dataset
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Table 5 Summary statistics
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Table 6 Correlation table
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Shin, H., Kogler, D.F. & Kim, K. The relevance of scientific knowledge externalities for technological change and resulting inventions across European metropolitan areas. Rev Reg Res (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10037-023-00190-9

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