nep-sbm New Economics Papers
on Small Business Management
Issue of 2012‒02‒01
eight papers chosen by
Joao Carlos Correia Leitao
University of Beira Interior and Technical University of Lisbon

  1. Technological Innovation, Resource Allocation, and Growth By Leonid Kogan; Dimitris Papanikolaou; Amit Seru; Noah Stoffman
  2. The relation between the firm’s IP strategy and occupation and qualification of the R&D labour force By Spithoven, André; Teirlinck, Peter
  3. From Russia with Love: The Impact of Relocated Firms on Incumbent Surv ival By Falck, Oliver; Guenther, Christina; Heblich, Stephan; Kerr, William R.
  4. Intellectual property rights, innovation and technology transfer: a survey By Anja, Breitwieser; Neil, Foster
  5. Sectoral innovation performance in the knowledge intensive services By Gotsch, Matthias; Hipp, Christiane; Gallego, J.; Rubalcaba, L.
  6. The Inventive, the Educated, and the Creative: How Do They Affect Metropolitan Productivity? By Lobo, José; Mellander, Charlotta; Stolarick, Kevin; Strumsky, Deborah
  7. Recent Research on the Economics of Patents By Bronwyn H. Hall; Dietmar Harhoff
  8. Ethnic Concentration, Cultural Identity and Immigrant Self-Employment in Switzerland By G. Guerra; R. Patuelli; R. Maggi

  1. By: Leonid Kogan; Dimitris Papanikolaou; Amit Seru; Noah Stoffman
    Abstract: We explore the role of technological innovation as a source of economic growth by constructing direct measures of innovation at the firm level. We combine patent data for US firms from 1926 to 2010 with the stock market response to news about patents to assess the economic importance of each innovation. Our innovation measure predicts productivity and output at the firm, industry and aggregate level. Furthermore, capital and labor flow away from non-innovating firms towards innovating firms within an industry. There exists a similar, though weaker, pattern across industries. Cross-industry differences in technological innovation are strongly related to subsequent differences in industry output growth.
    JEL: E32 G14 O3 O4
    Date: 2012–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:17769&r=sbm
  2. By: Spithoven, André (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium); Teirlinck, Peter (Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel (HUB), Belgium)
    Abstract: The past decades have witnessed a large growth in patenting and out-licensing rendering the IP strategy an important element for innovation management. The paper looks at the relation between the formal qualification and occupation of R&D personnel and the IP strategy by focussing on the probability of firms? to register patents and to out-license technology in order to generate revenue. Based on the occupational and educational characteristics of R&D personnel it is shown that patent registration and income generating from licensing imply a different set of skills from the R&D labour force. Looking at the occupation of the R&D staff, patenting can be related to the presence of R&D managers & researchers and also to R&D support staff; whereas out-licensing is linked to the R&D support staff solely. Second, regarding the level of education, the act of registering patents and generating revenue from them depends on R&D staff having a doctoral degree.
    Keywords: Intellectual property; R&D personnel; Education; Occupation; Firm-level
    Date: 2011–11
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hub:wpecon:201121&r=sbm
  3. By: Falck, Oliver; Guenther, Christina; Heblich, Stephan; Kerr, William R.
    Abstract: We identify the impact of local firm concentration on incumbent performance with a quasi natural experiment. When Germany was divided after World War II, many firms in the machine tool industry fled the Soviet occupied zone to prevent expropriation. We show that the regional location decisions of these firms upon moving to western Germany were driven by non-economic factors and heuristics rather than existing industrial conditions. Relocating firms increased the likelihood of incumbent failure in destination regions, a pattern that differs sharply from new entrants. We further provide evidence that these effects are due to increased competition for local resourc es.
    Keywords: Germany; labor; firm dynamics; competition; Agglomeration
    Date: 2011–07
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:stl:stledp:2011-17&r=sbm
  4. By: Anja, Breitwieser; Neil, Foster
    Abstract: Following the conclusion of the TRIPS Agreement, much has been written on the potential costs and benefits of stronger Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) protection in terms of its impact on innovation and technology transfer, as well as economic growth and welfare. This paper documents the development of IPR regimes within countries and internationally, before surveying the theoretical and empirical literature linking the protection of IPRs to economic growth, innovation and technology diffusion.
    Keywords: Intellectual Property Rights; Innovation; Economic Growth; Technology Diffusion
    JEL: F13 O34 F53 O31
    Date: 2012–01–20
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:pra:mprapa:36094&r=sbm
  5. By: Gotsch, Matthias; Hipp, Christiane; Gallego, J.; Rubalcaba, L.
    Abstract: --
    Date: 2011
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:btuopu:11&r=sbm
  6. By: Lobo, José (Arizona State University); Mellander, Charlotta (Jönköping International Business School); Stolarick, Kevin (University of Toronto); Strumsky, Deborah (University of North Carolina-Charlotte)
    Abstract: A longstanding research tradition assumes that endogenous technological development increases regional productivity. It has been assumed that measures of regional patenting activity or human capital are an adequate way to capture the endogenous creation of new ideas that result in productivity improvements. This process has been conceived as occurring in two stages. First, an invention or innovation is generated, and then it is developed and commercialized to create benefits for the individual or firm owning the idea. Typically these steps are combined into a single model of the “invention in/productivity out” variety. Using data on Gross Metropolitan Product per worker and on inventors, educational attainment, and creative workers (together with other important socio-economic controls), we unpack the model back to the two-step process and use a SEM modeling framework to investigate the relationships among inventive activity and potential inventors, regional technology levels, and regional productivity outcomes. Our results show almost no significant direct relationship between invention and productivity, except through technology. Clearly, the simplification of the “invention in/productivity out” model does not hold, which supports other work that questions the use of patents and patenting related measures as meaningful innovation inputs to processes that generate regional productivity and productivity gains. We also find that the most effective measure of regional inventive capacity, in terms of its effect on technology, productivity, and productivity growth is the share of the workforce engaged in creative activities.
    Keywords: Innovation; Productivity; Regional Technology; Patents; Human Capital; Creative Class
    JEL: C31 O10 O31 O47 R11 Z10
    Date: 2012–01–20
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hhs:cesisp:0263&r=sbm
  7. By: Bronwyn H. Hall; Dietmar Harhoff
    Abstract: Recent research on the economics of patents is surveyed. The topics covered include theoretical and empirical evidence on patents as an incentive for innovation, the effectiveness of patents for invention disclosure, patent valuation, and what we know about the design of patent systems. We also look at what is known about some current policy areas, including software and business method patents, university patenting, and the growth in patent litigation.
    JEL: K11 L20 O34
    Date: 2012–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:17773&r=sbm
  8. By: G. Guerra; R. Patuelli; R. Maggi
    Abstract: Immigrant self-employment rates vary considerably across regions in Switzerland. Business ownership provides an alternative to wage labour, where immigrants have to face structural barriers such as the limited knowledge of the local language, or difficulties in fruitfully making use of their own human capital. Despite their historically high unemployment rates with respect to natives, immigrants in Switzerland are less entrepreneurial. It is therefore important to uncover factors that may facilitate the transition from the status of immigrant to the one of economic agent. Among others factors, concentration in ethnic enclaves, as well as accumulated labour market experience and time elapsed since immigration, have been associated to higher business ownership rates. In this paper, we use a cross-section of 2,490 Swiss municipalities in order to investigate the role played by the ethnic concentration of immigrants, as well as cultural factors, in determining self-employment rates.
    JEL: C21 J24 J61 O15 R23
    Date: 2012–01
    URL: http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bol:bodewp:wp808&r=sbm

This nep-sbm issue is ©2012 by Joao Carlos Correia Leitao. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
General information on the NEP project can be found at http://nep.repec.org. For comments please write to the director of NEP, Marco Novarese at <director@nep.repec.org>. Put “NEP” in the subject, otherwise your mail may be rejected.
NEP’s infrastructure is sponsored by the School of Economics and Finance of Massey University in New Zealand.