The geographical and institutional proximity of research collaboration*

Roderik Ponds (), Frank Oort and Koen Frenken

Papers in Regional Science, 2007, vol. 86, issue 3, 423-443

Abstract: Abstract. Collaboration and the exchange of knowledge are supposedly made easier by geographical proximity because of the tacit character of knowledge. Recently a number of scholars' criticised this view on geographical proximity as being oversimplified and argued that the precise role of geographical proximity for knowledge exchange and collaboration still remains unclear. This paper analyses the role of geographical proximity for collaborative scientific research in science‐based technologies between universities, companies and governmental research institutes. We test the hypothesis that the collaboration between different kinds of organisations is more geographically localised than collaboration between organisations that are similar due to institutional proximity. Using data on co‐publications, collaborations patterns are analysed and the hypothesis is confirmed. Abstract. La colaboración y el intercambio de conocimiento son supuestamente más fáciles si hay una proximidad geográfica debido al carácter tácito del conocimiento. Varios investigadores han criticado recientemente esta suposición sobre la proximidad geográfica como simplista argumentando que el papel preciso que juega la proximidad geográfica en el intercambio de conocimiento y la colaboración aun no está claro. Este artículo analiza el rol de la proximidad geográfica en la investigación científica colaborativa en tecnologías de base científica entre universidades e institutos de investigación privados o gubernamentales. Analizamos la hipótesis de que la colaboración entre tipos diferentes de organizaciones es más localizada geográficamente que la colaboración entre organizaciones que son similares debido a su proximidad institucional. Usando datos sobre co‐publicaciones, se analizan patrones de colaboración y se confirma la hipótesis.

Date: 2007
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (279)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:presci:v:86:y:2007:i:3:p:423-443

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