Skip to main content
Log in

R&D Subsidy and Self-Financed R&D: The Case of Japanese High-Technology Start-Ups

  • Published:
Small Business Economics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper examines whether public R&D subsidies constitute a substitute or complement for private-financed R&D. The empirical analysis is based on a panel data of 223 Japanese high-technology start-ups. Our evidence is consistent with the complement hypothesis, i.e., that publicly-funded R&D does promote private R&D. The complement effects are stronger for more mature firms. This is because such firms, in the growth phase, might have greater demands for R&D funds.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Audretsch, David B., Albert N. Link, and John T. Scott, 2002, “Public/Private Technology Partnerships: Evaluating SBIR Supported Research”, Research Policy 31(1), 145–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buson, Isabel, 2000, “An Empirical Evaluation of the Effects of R&D Subsidies”, Economics of Innovation and New Technology 9(2), 111–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, Wesley M., 1995, “Empirical Studies of Innovative Activity”, in P. Stoneman (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation and Technological Change, U.K.: Blackwell, pp. 182–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • David, Paul A., Bronwyn H. Hall and Andrew A. Toole, 1999, “Is Public R&D a Complement or Substitute for Private R&D?: A Review of the Econometric Evidence”, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series no. 7373.

  • David, Paul A. and Bronwyn H. Hall, 2000, “Heart of darkness: Modeling Public-Private Funding Interactions Inside the R&D Black Box”, Research Policy 29(9), 1165–1183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goolsbee, Austan, 1998, “Does Government R&D Policy Mainly Benefit Scientists and Engineers?”, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series no. 6532.

  • Griliches, Zvi, 1998, R&D and Productivity: The Econometric Evidence, The University of Chicago Press.

  • Himmerberg, Charles P.and Bruce C. Petersen, 1994, “R&D and Internal Finance: A Panel Study of Small Firms in High-Tech Industries”, Review of Economics and Statistics 76(1), 38–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lach, Saul, 2000, “Do R&D Subsidies Stimulate or Displace Private R&D? Evidence from Israel”, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper Series no. 7943.

  • Lach, Saul, 2002, “Do R&D Subsidies Stimulate or Displace Private R&D? Evidence from Israel”, Journal of Industrial Economics 50(4), 309–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leyden, Dennis P. and Albert N. Link, 1991, “Why are Governmental R&D and Private R&D Complements?”, Applied Economics 23(10), 1673–1681.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenberg, Frank R., 1984, “The Relationship between Federal Contract R&D and Company R&D”, American Economic Review 74(2), 73–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenberg, Frank R., 1987, “The Effect of Government Funding on Private Industrial Research and Development: A Re-Assessment”, Journal of Industrial Economics 36(1), 97–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenberg, Frank R., 1988, “The Private R&D Investment Response to Federal Design and Technical Competitions”, American Economic Review 78(3), 550–559.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mamuneas, Theofanis P. and M. Ishaq Nadiri, 1996, “Public R&D Policies and Cost Behavior of the U.S. Manufacturing Industries”, Journal of Public Economics 63(1), 57–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • McWilliams, Abagail, and Donald Siegel, 2000, “Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Performance: Correlation or Misspecification?”, Strategic Management Journal 21(5), 603–609.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romijn, Henny and Manuel Albaladejo, 2002, “Determinants of Innovation Capability in Small Electronics and Software Firms in Southeast England”, Research Policy 31(7), 1053–1067.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakakibara, Kiyonori, Tadahisa Koga, Yuji Honjo and Kazunori Kondo, 2000, Survey Research on Technology based Start-ups and Their Entrepreneurs in Japan. National Institute of Science and Technology Policy, Japan (in Japanese).

  • Small and Medium Enterprises Agency, Japanese Government, 2001, White Paper on Small and Medium Enterprises, Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Tokyo, Japan (in Japanese).

  • Statistics Bureau, Management and Coordination Agency, Japanese Government, 1999, Report on the Survey of Research and Development, Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Tokyo, Japan (in Japanese).

  • Wallsten, Scott J, 2000, “The Effects of Government-Industry R&D Programs on Private R&D: The Case of the Small Business Innovation Research Program”, Rand Journal of Economics 31(1), 82–100.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Koga, T. R&D Subsidy and Self-Financed R&D: The Case of Japanese High-Technology Start-Ups. Small Bus Econ 24, 53–62 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-005-3096-z

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-005-3096-z

Keywords

Navigation