nep-ino New Economics Papers
on Innovation
Issue of 2025–05–19
five papers chosen by
Uwe Cantner, University of Jena


  1. European regions transitioning to green markets. The role of related capabilities and public procurement policies By Carolina Castaldi; Milad Abbasiharofteh; Sergio Petralia
  2. Multinationals and intra-regional innovation concentration By Pardy, Martina
  3. Is distance from innovation a barrier to the adoption of artificial intelligence By Hunt, Jennifer; Cockburn, Iain; Bessen, James
  4. Recombinant Innovation, Novel Ideas, and the Start of Nobel Prize-Winning Work By John Ham; Brian Quistorff; Bruce A. Weinberg
  5. The role of human capital for AI adoption: Evidence from French firms By Luca Fontanelli; Flavio Calvino; Chiara Criscuolo; Lionel Nesta; Elena Verdolini

  1. By: Carolina Castaldi; Milad Abbasiharofteh; Sergio Petralia
    Abstract: The sustainability transition is high on the European agenda, with an emerging understanding that focusing on green technologies is not enough to achieve disruptive sustainability. An overall green transformation of current systems of production and consumption also requires market formation processes whereby green markets become viable economic opportunities for regions to specialize in. In this study, we draw on insights from evolutionary economic geography and geography of transitions to understand how regions develop green market specializations. To do so, we investigate two key sets of factors. First, we consider the evolutionary capability development process whereby new specializations emerge from existing related regional capabilities, in a path-dependent way. Second, we account for green public procurement initiatives to capture path-creation efforts in the form of deliberate regional policy directed towards green market formation. Our empirical analysis focuses on European regions in the period 2000-2020. We employ original trademark-based metrics to capture regional specializations in green markets and combine them with patent data to construct relatedness linkages between technologies and markets. Our results reveal that only a few regions have been able to develop specializations in green markets. We find that both prior capabilities in related technological domains and markets are positively associated with the emergence of these regional specializations. In addition, we also find that green public procurement is positively associated with the emergence of regional green market specializations. Our findings bear relevance for policy and research alike.
    Keywords: sustainability; regions; green markets; relatedness; public procurement; trademarks; patents
    Date: 2025–05
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:egu:wpaper:2512
  2. By: Pardy, Martina
    Abstract: his article examines the extent to which the presence of multinational enterprises (MNEs) influences the concentration of innovation among patenting firms within US states from 1976 to 2010. Merging patent and regional socioeconomic data, this study explores the effects within 50 US states over more than three decades using Ordinary-Least-Square and Instrumental Variable estimations. It shows that MNEs significantly contribute to the concentration of patenting activity, an effect predominantly driven by domestic-owned MNEs. The impact differs across space: states with a higher share of MNEs experience a sharper increase in patenting concentration. Crucially, it is the non-MNE firms that feel the squeeze the most, with those in the middle of the patenting hierarchy producing fewer patents when domestic MNEs ramp up their activity. This suggests that economic globalisation, while enhancing innovation opportunities for some, reinforces competitive pressures and barriers for others. These findings offer a new perspective on the forces shaping regional innovation dynamics, highlighting the role of MNEs in both amplifying innovation gains and exacerbating disparities in knowledge production.
    Keywords: globalisation; multinational enterprises; innovation; concentration; regional development
    JEL: J1
    Date: 2025–07–31
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:127983
  3. By: Hunt, Jennifer; Cockburn, Iain; Bessen, James
    Abstract: Using our own data on artificial intelligence publications merged with Burning Glass vacancy data for 2007-2019, we investigate whether online vacancies for jobs requiring AI skills grow more slowly in US locations farther from pre-2007 AI innovation hotspots. We find that a commuting zone which is an additional 200km (125 miles) from the closest AI hotspot has 17% lower growth in AI jobs' share of vacancies. This is driven by distance from AI papers rather than AI patents. Distance reduces growth in AI research jobs as well as in jobs adapting AI to new industries, as evidenced by strong effects for computer and mathematical researchers, developers of software applications, and the finance and insurance industry. 20% of the effect is explained by the presence of state borders between some commuting zones and their closest hotspot. This could reflect state borders impeding migration and thus flows of tacit knowledge. Distance does not capture difficulty of in-person or remote collaboration nor knowledge and personnel flows within multi-establishment firms hiring in computer occupations.
    Keywords: technological change; economic geography; growth; technology adoption and diffusion
    JEL: O33 R12
    Date: 2024–10–01
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:126840
  4. By: John Ham; Brian Quistorff; Bruce A. Weinberg
    Abstract: We draw on a recombinant view of innovation, where being in a new location and/or multiple locations leads to exposure to novel combinations of ideas that increase the creativity of top scientists. Using a rich, unique dataset we helped assemble, we estimate the empirical relationship between being in a new location and/or multiple locations and the expected interval before an eventual Nobel laureate (ENL) commences their prize-winning work. We find that being in a new location and in multiple locations are substantially and significantly associated with a shorter expected interval before ENLs commence their prize-winning work.
    JEL: C41 O31 O38
    Date: 2025–03
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:33579
  5. By: Luca Fontanelli (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UniCA - Université Côte d'Azur, SSSUP - Scuola Universitaria Superiore Sant'Anna = Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies [Pisa]); Flavio Calvino (OCDE - Organisation de Coopération et de Développement Economiques = Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development); Chiara Criscuolo; Lionel Nesta (GREDEG - Groupe de Recherche en Droit, Economie et Gestion - UNS - Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - UniCA - Université Côte d'Azur); Elena Verdolini (CMCC - Centro Euro-Mediterraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici [Bologna])
    Abstract: We leverage a uniquely comprehensive combination of data sources to explore the enabling role of human capital in fostering the adoption of predictive AI systems in French firms. Using a causal estimation approach, we show that ICT engineers play a key role for AI adoption by firms. Our estimates indicate that raising the current average share of ICT engineers in firms not using AI (1.66%) to the level of AI users (6.7%) would increase their probability to adopt AI by 0.81 percentage pointsequivalent to an 8.43 percent growth. However, this would imply substantial investments to fill the existing gap in ICT human capital, amounting to around 450.000 additional ICT engineers. We also explore potential mechanisms, showing that the relevance of ICT engineers for predictive AI is driven by the innovative nature of its use, make-vs-buy choices, large availability of data, ICT and R&D intensity.
    Keywords: artificial intelligence, human capital, technological diffusion
    Date: 2024–11
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05029748

This nep-ino issue is ©2025 by Uwe Cantner. 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 https://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.