nep-knm New Economics Papers
on Knowledge Management and Knowledge Economy
Issue of 2026–04–27
three papers chosen by
Laura Nicola-Gavrila, Centrul European de Studii Manageriale în Administrarea Afacerilor


  1. Clusters of excellence and science spillovers to industry: Evidence from additive manufacturing By Hottenrott, Hanna; Schaper, Thomas; Schwierzy, Julian
  2. Decision Traces: What Multi-System Data Fusion Reveals About Institutional Knowledge in Enterprise Hiring By Saad Bin Shafiq
  3. L'influence des dispositifs de formation sur la prise de conscience des enjeux de la finance durable : une étude européenne By Carmen González-Velasco; Isabel Feito-Ruiz; Marcos González-Fernández; Pilar Sierra-Fernández; Yolanda Fernández Santos; Rubén Arrondo García; Sigrid Vandemaele; Souad Lajili Jarjir; Anneleen Michiels

  1. By: Hottenrott, Hanna; Schaper, Thomas; Schwierzy, Julian
    Abstract: Competitive public research funding is an important policy instrument to foster scientific progress. The effective design of such funding schemes and whether they generate knowledge spillovers to industrial inventions, however, remains debated. In this paper, we investigate the impacts of geographically localized forum grants - Clusters of Excellence - awarded for additive manufacturing research under Germany's Excellence Initiative from 2006-2012. Using synthetic difference-in-differences estimation, we find that Clusters increased local scientific output in funding-related domains in the right tail of the scientific impact distribution - as measured by article citations - compared to non-funded applicant groups in similar locations. While patenting by nearby firms remained unaffected at the extensive margin, we find evidence for significant knowledge spillovers to local industry. These manifested as a rise in the number of high-impact firm patents confined to related technical areas, and Clusters receiving a significantly larger number of prior art citations from industry patents, compared to the control group, which were geographically localized and confined to top publications. Our findings support the effectiveness of forum-based funding programs for top science and provide dual implications for research and industrial policy.
    Keywords: Frontier science, research funding, knowledge spillovers, industry-science linkages
    JEL: I23 O31 O38
    Date: 2026
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:zewdip:340105
  2. By: Saad Bin Shafiq
    Abstract: Enterprise hiring systems generate data across multiple disconnected platforms: applicant tracking systems (ATS) record candidate profiles, human resource information systems (HRIS) record performance outcomes, and behavioral assessments capture personality and behavioral dimensions. Each system operates independently, and the reasoning behind hiring decisions is lost when managers retire, transfer, or leave. Decision traces are structured evidence chains connecting screening inputs, assessment signals, and production outcomes. They have been theorized but never operationalized at production scale. We present, to our knowledge, the first such study: a deployment at a Fortune 500 insurance carrier (N=10, 765 agents hired, 2022-2025), where connecting three siloed data systems produced three findings. First, of 8, 181 unique skills parsed from ATS profiles (3, 597 testable), not a single keyword predicts production after Bonferroni correction; 30 are significantly anti-predictive, and the median keyword is associated with 25% lower odds of production. Requiring insurance experience alone would reject 2, 863 agents who produced $17.7M in annual premium credit. Second, personality-based behavioral assessment (Predictive Index) achieves AUC=0.647 standalone and AUC=0.735 when fused with ATS and behavioral scoring data. Third, speed-to-production follows a measurable economic constant of $54/day per agent unadjusted, or $35/day controlling for source channel and tenure, moderated by behavioral score: high-scored agents capture $114/day from speed acceleration versus $41/day for low-scored agents. These findings were invisible within any single system. We discuss implications for hiring system design, the limitations of keyword-based screening, and the conditions under which institutional knowledge can be captured and operationalized.
    Date: 2026–04
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2604.19819
  3. By: Carmen González-Velasco (Universidad de León = University of León [León]); Isabel Feito-Ruiz (Universidad de León = University of León [León]); Marcos González-Fernández (Universidad de León = University of León [León]); Pilar Sierra-Fernández (Universidad de León = University of León [León]); Yolanda Fernández Santos (Universidad de León = University of León [León]); Rubén Arrondo García (Universidad de Oviedo = University of Oviedo); Sigrid Vandemaele (UHasselt - Hasselt University); Souad Lajili Jarjir (CEREFIGE - Centre Européen de Recherche en Economie Financière et Gestion des Entreprises - UL - Université de Lorraine); Anneleen Michiels (UHasselt - Hasselt University)
    Abstract: Many initiatives worldwide aim to improve financial knowledge through training programmes at different levels of education. In this context, it is worth highlighting that sustainable finance knowledge should receive attention in line with the global challenges (climate change, social and economic inequalities, etc.) society is facing. Implementing (short) training programmes in educational curricula may be an effective way to improve students' knowledge and practical skills. The aim of this paper is to analyse the efficacy of short sustainable finance training programmes in fostering sustainable financial awareness and attitudes among university students. This research focuses on how these programmes influence participants' understanding of sustainability, interest in financial matters, and decision-making competencies. Our results, based on validated questionnaires carried out by students from different universities, reveal that short training programmes positively influence knowledge of and interest in sustainable financial matters.
    Abstract: De nombreuses initiatives visent à améliorer la culture financière au moyen de programmes de formation à différents niveaux d'enseignement. Dans ce contexte, il est important de souligner que les connaissances en finance durable devraient faire l'objet d'une attention particulière, conformément aux défis mondiaux (changement climatique, inégalités sociales et économiques, etc.) auxquels la société est confrontée. L'intégration de programmes de formation (courts) dans les cursus éducatifs pourrait être un moyen efficace d'améliorer les connaissances et les compétences pratiques des étudiants. Ces programmes cherchent à garantir que les participants adoptent des comportements et prennent des décisions conscientes et responsables en matière de finance durable. Nos résultats, issus d'une enquête réalisée auprès d'un échantillon de 412 étudiants répartis dans quatre universités de trois pays européens (Espagne, France et Belgique), révèlent que les programmes de formation courts ont une influence positive sur la perception des étudiants au sujet de problématiques financières durables.
    Keywords: formation, finance durable, Clés -Education financière, Clés -Education financière finance durable formation
    Date: 2026–04–01
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05590844

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