Spatial Interaction Modelling of Cross-Region R&D Collaborations: Empirical Evidence from the 5th EU Framework Programme

摘要

The last few years have witnessed an increasing interest in the geography ofinnovation. As noted by Autant-Bernard et al. (2007a), the geographicaldimension of innovation deserves further attention by analysing such phenomenaas R&D collaborations. In this study we focus on cross-region R&Dcollaborations in Europe. The European coverage is achieved by using data oncollaborative R&D projects funded by the EU Framework Programmes (FPs) betweenorganisation that are located in 255 NUTS-2 regions of the 25 pre-2007 EUmember-states, as well as Norway and Switzerland. The objective is to identifyseparation effects - such as geographical or technological effects - on theconstitution of cross-region collaborative R&D activities. We specify a Poissonspatial interaction model to analyse these questions. The dependent variable isthe intensity of cross-region R&D collaborations, the independent variablesinclude origin, destination and separation characteristics of interaction. Theresults provide striking evidence that geographical effects play an importantrole in determining R&D collaborations across Europe. Geographical proximityand co-localisation of organisations in neighbouring regions are importantdeterminants of cross-region collaboration intensities. The effect oftechnological proximity is stronger than spatial effects. R&D collaborationsoccur most often between organisations that are located close to each other intechnological space. R&D collaborations in Europe are also affected bylanguage- and country border effects, but these are smaller than geographicaland technological effects.