The spatial determinants of innovation diffusion: Evidence from global shipping networks

César Ducruet () and Hidekazu Itoh
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César Ducruet: EconomiX - EconomiX - UPN - Université Paris Nanterre - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Hidekazu Itoh: Kwansei Gakuin University

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Abstract: Based on untapped shipping and urban data, this article compares the diffusion of steam and container shipping at the port city level and at the global scale between 1880 and 2008. A temporal and multi-layered network is constructed, including the pre-existing technologies of sailing and breakbulk. The goal is to check the differences a) between innovations and their predecessors and b) between innovations, from an urban network perspective. Main results show that despite certain differences, such as historical context, voyage length, speed of diffusion, and geographical spread, the two innovations share a large quantity of similarities. They both fostered port concentration, were boosted by city size and port connectivity, bypassed upstream port sites, and diverged gradually from older technologies. This research thus contributes to the literature on cities, networks, innovation, and maritime transport.

Keywords: Containerization; Maritime transport; Port cities; Regional disparity; Spatial networks; Steam shipping; Technological change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo, nep-his, nep-net, nep-tid, nep-tre and nep-ure
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-03719062v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published in Journal of Transport Geography, 2022, 101, pp.103358. ⟨10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2022.103358⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-03719062

DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2022.103358

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