Joint R&D Subsidies, Related Variety, and Regional Innovation
T. Broekel, Matthias Brachert, M. Duschl, T. Brenner
International Regional Science Review,
No. 3,
2017
Abstract
Subsidies for research and development (R&D) are an important tool of public R&D policy, which motivates extensive scientific analyses and evaluations. This article adds to this literature by arguing that the effects of R&D subsidies go beyond the extension of organizations’ monetary resources invested into R&D. It is argued that collaboration induced by subsidized joint R&D projects yield significant effects that are missed in traditional analyses. An empirical study on the level of German labor market regions substantiates this claim, showing that collaborative R&D subsidies impact regions’ innovation growth when providing access to related variety and embedding regions into central positions in cross-regional knowledge networks.
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Inflation Dynamics During the Financial Crisis in Europe: Cross-sectional Identification of Long-run Inflation Expectations
Geraldine Dany-Knedlik, Oliver Holtemöller
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 10,
2017
Abstract
We investigate drivers of Euro area inflation dynamics using a panel of regional Phillips curves and identify long-run inflation expectations by exploiting the crosssectional dimension of the data. Our approach simultaneously allows for the inclusion of country-specific inflation and unemployment-gaps, as well as time-varying parameters. Our preferred panel specification outperforms various aggregate, uni- and multivariate unobserved component models in terms of forecast accuracy. We find that declining long-run trend inflation expectations and rising inflation persistence indicate an altered risk of inflation expectations de-anchoring. Lower trend inflation, and persistently negative unemployment-gaps, a slightly increasing Phillips curve slope and the downward pressure of low oil prices mainly explain the low inflation rate during the recent years.
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Losing Work, Moving Away? Regional Mobility After Job Loss
Daniel Fackler, Lisa Rippe
Abstract
Using German survey data, we investigate the relationship between involuntary job loss and regional mobility. Our results show that job loss has a strong positive effect on the propensity to relocate. We also analyze whether the high and persistent earnings losses of displaced workers can in part be explained by limited regional mobility. Our findings do not support this conjecture as we find substantial long lasting earnings losses for both movers and stayers. In the short run, movers even face slightly higher losses, but the differences between the two groups of displaced workers are never statistically significant. This challenges whether migration is a beneficial strategy in case of involuntary job loss.
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Size of Training Firms and Cumulated Long-run Unemployment Exposure – The Role of Firms, Luck, and Ability in Young Workers’ Careers
Steffen Müller, Renate Neubäumer
Abstract
This paper analyzes how life-cycle unemployment of former apprentices depends on the size of the training firm. We start from the hypotheses that the size of training firms reduces long-run cumulated unemployment exposure, e.g. via differences in training quality and in the availability of internal labor markets, and that the access to large training firms depends positively on young workers’ ability and their luck to live in a region with many large and medium-sized training firms. We test these hypotheses empirically by using a large administrative data set for Germany and find corroborative evidence.
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Does Proximity Matter in the Choice of Partners in Collaborative R&D Projects? – An Empirical Analysis of Granted Projects in Germany
Mirko Titze, Philipp Marek, , Clemens Fuhrmeister
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 12,
2014
Abstract
This paper contributes to the discussion on the importance of physical distance in the emergence of cross-region collaborative Research and Development (R&D) interactions. The proximity theory, and its extensions, is used as a theoretical framework. A spatial interaction model for count data was implemented for the empirical analysis of German data from the period from 2005 to 2010. The results show that all tested proximity measurements (geographical, cognitive, social and institutional proximity) have a significant positive influence on collaboration intensity. The proximity paradox, however, cannot be confirmed for geographical, social and institutional proximity, but for cognitive proximity.
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Start-up Competitions as an Instrument of Entrepreneurship Policy: The German Experience
Michael Schwartz, Maximilian Göthner, Claus Michelsen, N. Waldmann
European Planning Studies,
No. 10,
2013
Abstract
The number of aspiring entrepreneurs in high-tech industries who successfully complete the transition from a nascent start-up project towards an operational new venture is comparatively low in Germany. Since the mid-1990s, policy-makers have initiated numerous start-up competitions (SUCs or business plan competitions) to facilitate this important step in the venture creation process. SUCs have two key objectives. They are aimed at increasing start-up activity by motivating potential entrepreneurs, while they should also help to increase the likelihood of subsequent entrepreneurial success through providing necessary entrepreneurial skills to prospective entrepreneurs. With our explorative study, we provide the first comprehensive empirical evidence from a cross-sectional survey of existing SUCs in Germany. Overall, 71 SUCs are identified which are analysed regarding their development, regional distribution, and main structural characteristics. Finally, we outline an agenda of future research questions concerning the effectiveness and efficiency of SUCs as an instrument of entrepreneurship policy.
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R&D Offshoring and the Productivity Growth of European Regions
Davide Castellani, F. Pieri
CIRCLE Working Papers, No. 20,
No. 20,
2013
Abstract
The recent increase in R&D offshoring have raised fears that knowledge and competitiveness in advanced countries may be at risk of 'hollowing out'. At the same time, economic research has stressed that this process is also likely to allow some reverse technology transfer and foster growth at home. This paper addresses this issue by investigating the extent to which R&D offshoring is associated with productivity dynamics of European regions. We find that offshoring regions have higher productivity growth, but this positive effect fades down with the number of investment projects carried out abroad. A large and positive correlation emerge between the extent of R&D offshoring and the home region productivity growth, supporting the idea that carrying out R&D abroad strengthen European competitiveness.
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The Impact of R&D Collaboration Networks on the Performance of Firms and Regions: A Meta-Analysis of the Evidence
Gunnar Pippel
International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations,
No. 4,
2013
Abstract
Wissensintensive Interaktionen sind mit einer Reihe von Vor- und Nachteilen für die beteiligten Akteure verbunden. Deshalb hat sich ein Literaturstrang entwickelt, welcher der Fragestellung nachgeht, wie sich FuE-Kooperationen auf die Leistungsfähigkeit von Firmen und Regionen auswirken. Diese Studien kommen zu unterschiedlichen Ergebnissen. Das Papier versucht die verschiedenen Ergebnisse der Literatur zusammenzufassen. Ein weiteres Ziel ist es, die in der Literatur verwendeten Methoden zur Bearbeitung der Fragestellung kritisch zu diskutieren. Zudem geht das Papier der Frage nach, inwiefern die in der Literatur verwendeten Methoden und Ansätze die Ergebnisse der Studien beeinflussen. Zur Bearbeitung dieser Fragestellungen wird eine Metaanalyse der relevanten Literatur durchgeführt. Dabei wird gezeigt, dass FuE-Kooperationen einen positiven Effekt auf die Leistungsfähigkeit von Firmen und Regionen haben. Zudem gibt es starke Evidenz dafür, dass die verwendeten Methoden und Ansätze die Ergebnisse der Studien beeinflussen.
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Methods and Problems of Regional Economic Projections
Maike Irrek, Oliver Holtemöller
Flächennutzungsmonitoring IV. Genauere Daten – informierte Akteure – praktisches Handeln. IÖR-Schriften 60,
2012
Abstract
Regionale ökonomische Projektionen sind wichtig für die politische Entscheidungsfindung in vielen Bereichen, so auch bei der Flächennutzung. Sowohl wohnbauliche als auch gewerbliche Flächennutzungen werden vom regionalen Wirtschaftswachstum beeinflusst. In diesem Beitrag werden die Methodik und die Probleme von regionalen Wirtschaftsprojektionen am Beispiel eines mittel- und langfristigen Projektionsmodells der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung in Deutschland und in den Ländern dargestellt. Das Modell verwendet den Produktionsfunktionsansatz, für welchen die Produktionsfaktoren Arbeit und Kapital sowie die Produktivität mit Hilfe zeitreihenökonometrischer Methoden fortgeschrieben werden. Die Ergebnisse für Deutschland insgesamt zeigen, dass das Bruttoinlandsprodukt im Zeitraum von 2011 bis 2025 trotz des demographisch bedingten Rückganges des Arbeitsvolumens weiter wachsen dürfte. Die unterschiedliche Ausprägung des demographischen Wandels in den Ländern wird allerdings zu regionalen Wachstumsunterschieden führen. Dies wird beispielhaft anhand eines Vergleichs von Sachsen und Baden-Württemberg dargestellt.
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A Federal Long-run Projection Model for Germany
Oliver Holtemöller, Maike Irrek, Birgit Schultz
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 11,
2012
Abstract
Many economic decisions implicitly or explicitly rely on a projection of the medium- or long-term economic development of a country or region. In this paper, we provide a federal long-run projection model for Germany and the German states. The model fea-tures a top-down approach and, as major contribution, uses error correction models to estimate the regional economic development dependent on the national projection. For the medium- and long-term projection of economic activity, we apply a production function approach. We provide a detailed robustness analysis by systematically varying assumptions of the model. Additionally, we explore the effects of different demographic trends on economic development.
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