How R&D Financial Subsidies, Regional R&D Input, and Intellectual Property Protection Affect the Sustainable Patent Output of SMEs: Evidence from China

Pengyuan Xu, Meiqing Zhang and Min Gui
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Meiqing Zhang: School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Min Gui: School of Mathematics and Computing Science, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246133, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: The effects of regional R&D input (RRDI) and intensity of intellectual property protection (IPP) on the relationship between R&D financial subsidies (RDFS) and the sustainable patent output of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is currently a topic of debate. Regional financial support and necessary IPP are vital to the sustainable patent output of SMEs. However, empirical evidence to investigate the role of RRDI and intensity of IPP is insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the effect of RDFS on the sustainable patent output of SMEs and analyze the role of RRDI and intensity of IPP in the relationship between RDFS and SMEs’ sustainable patent output. We collected data from the R&D activities of SMEs in 30 provinces of China and performed maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) of six equations. The empirical results show that RDFS have a positive impact on the sustainable patent output of SMEs. Besides, RRDI plays a mediating role in the relationship between RDFS and the sustainable patent output of SMEs. Third, the mediating role of regional R&D personnel input (RRDPI) is more obvious than that of R&D fund input (RRDFI). Finally, the intensity of IPP significantly moderates the direct effect of RDFS on the sustainable patent output of SMEs and the mediation effect via RRDI.

Keywords: R&D financial subsidies; regional R&D input; intensity of IPP; sustainable patent out of SMEs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:1207-:d:317826

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