Industry Specialization, Diversity and the Efficiency of Regional Innovation Systems
Michael Fritsch, Viktor Slavtchev
Jena Economic Research Papers, Nr. 2007-018,
No. 18,
2007
Abstract
Innovation processes are characterized by a pronounced division of labor between actors. Two types of externality may arise from such interactions. On the one hand, a close location of actors affiliated to the same industry may stimulate innovation (MAR externalities). On the other hand, new ideas may be born by the exchange of heterogeneous and complementary knowledge between actors, which belong to different industries (Jacobs’ externalities). We test the impact of both MAR as well as Jacobs’ externalities on innovative performance at the regional level. The results suggest an inverted u-shaped relationship between regional specialization in certain industries and innovative performance. Further key determinants of the regional innovative performance are private sector R&D and university-industry collaboration.
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What Determines the Efficiency of Regional Innovation Systems?
Michael Fritsch, Viktor Slavtchev
Jena Economic Research Papers, Nr. 2007-006,
No. 6,
2007
Abstract
We assess the efficiency of regional innovation systems (RIS) in Germany by means of a knowledge production function. This function relates private sector research and development (R&D) activity in a region to the number of inventions that have been registered by residents of that region. Different measures and estimation approaches lead to rather similar assessments. We find that both spillovers within the private sector as well as from universities and other public research institutions have a positive effect on the efficiency of private sector R&D in the respective region. It is not the mere presence and size of public research institutions, but rather the intensity of interactions between private and public sector R&D that leads to high RIS efficiency. We find that relationship between the diversity of a regions’ industry structure and the efficiency of its innovation system is inversely u-shaped. Regions dominated by large establishments tend to be less efficient than regions with a lower average establishment size.
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Alterung und technologisches Innovationspotential : Eine Linked-Employer-Employee-Analyse
Lutz Schneider
IWH Discussion Papers,
No. 2,
2007
Abstract
Growth in advanced economies is essentially driven by innovation activities. From a demographic point of view the question rises, whether the trend of an ageing workforce will affect the innovation capacities of these economies. To answer this question, the paper examines on the basis of a German linked-employer-employee-dataset, whether an older workforce lowers a firm’s potential to generate product innovations. The empirical approach is based on an Ordered-logit regression model, relating a firm’s innovation potential to the age composition of its employees. The analysis provides evidence of significant age effects. The estimated age-innovation-profile follows an inverted-ushaped pattern, it peaks at the age of about 40 years. A separate estimation shows, that the technician’s and engineer’s age seems to be particularly relevant.
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Risikoorientierte Prämiendifferenzierung in der Kfz-Haftpflichtversicherung: mehr Prämiengerechtigkeit und weniger Verkehrsunfälle?
Christian Growitsch, K.-D. Schade, R. Schwarze, H.-P. Schwintowski, Thomas Wein
Zeitschrift für die gesamte Versicherungswissenschaft,
2006
Abstract
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Gleichwertige Lebensverhältnisse: Eine wichtige gesellschaftspolitische Aufgabe neu interpretieren!
Jürgen Aring, Hans H. Blotevogel, Michael Bräuer, Rainer Danielzyk, Hans-Peter Gatzweiler, Ulf Hahne, Heinrich Mäding, Petra Ilona Schmidt, Josef Stegt, Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
Positionspapier aus der Akademie für Raumforschung und Landesplanung [ARL], Nr. 69,
2006
Abstract
In der politischen Diskussion über Wachstums- und Ausgleichspolitik werden häufig Forderungen nach einer Aufgabe des Prinzips "gleichwertiger Lebensverhältnisse" laut. In dieser Debatte wird vielfach einseitig pro und contra argumentiert. In dem Papier wird die Auffassung vertreten, daß das Prinzip zwar ein zentrales gesellschaftspolitisches Anliegen bleiben, aber vor dem Hintergrund gewandelter Rahmenbedingungen und zunehmender regionaler Disparitäten in Deutschland neu interpretiert werden sollte. Nach Auffassung der Autoren sind Gleichwertigkeit und Diversität keine Gegensätze. Im einzelnen werden Vorschläge für eine Neujustierung der Ziele und Instrumente im Rahmen dreier wichtiger Handlungsfelder entwickelt. Für den Finanzausgleich zwischen Bund, Ländern und Kommunen wird ein Abbau der rein kompensatorischen Transfers zugunsten aktivierender Elemente und der Förderung von Kooperationen vorgeschlagen. Hinsichtlich der Regionalpolitik sollten zwar weiterhin die strukturschwachen Regionen im Vordergrund stehen, aber dort sollte es zu Schwerpunktsetzungen zugunsten leistungsfähiger Zentren der Wirtschaftstätigkeit kommen. Für die Raumordnungspolitik werden u. a. kreative und innovative Lösungen für Leistungen der regionalen und lokalen Daseinsvorsorge angeregt.
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Innovative Kompetenzfelder, Produktionsnetzwerke und Branchenschwerpunkte der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft. Ergebnisse einer Untersuchung des IWH im Auftrag des Bundesamtes für Bauwesen und Raumordnung
Peter Franz, Gerhard Heimpold, Franz Kronthaler, Rupert Kawka, Jutta Günther, Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
One-off Publications,
No. 2,
2004
Abstract
n zahlreichen ostdeutschen Regionen existieren inzwischen deutlich ausgeprägte Branchenschwerpunkte mit im ostdeutschen Vergleich hoher Beschäftigung. So weisen vor allem die Wirtschaftszweige in den Bereichen Finanzierung, Vermietung und Unternehmensdienstleistungen eine hohe regionale Konzentration auf. Aber auch in den Bereichen Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Handel, Gastgewerbe und Verkehr sowie bei öffentlichen und privaten Dienstleistern ist in einigen Teilbereichen eine regionale Konzentration feststellbar. Ein Vergleich zwischen den neuen und alten Bundesländern zeigt, dass die Anteile der Beschäftigten in den Branchen des Produzierenden Gewerbes Ostdeutschlands zumeist deutlich unter den entsprechenden Werten im Westen liegen und die ostdeutschen Branchenschwerpunkte mithin noch vergleichsweise schwach ausgeprägt sind.
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Measuring the Efficiency of Regional Innovation Systems – An Empirical Assessment
Michael Fritsch, Viktor Slavtchev
Freiberg Working Papers, Nr. 08-2006,
No. 8,
2006
Abstract
We measure the efficiency of regional innovation systems (RIS) in Germany by means of a knowledge production function. This function relates private sector Research and Development (R&D) in a region to the number of inventions that have been registered by residents of that region. Two approaches are followed. First, it is assumed that differences in the productivity of private sector R&D between regions affect the slope of the KPF, which represents the marginal productivity of R&D input. The second approach assesses regional differences within the framework of a stochastic frontier knowledge production function. This approach mainly reveals differences with regard to the intercept of the knowledge production function and, therefore, with regard to the average productivity. We compare the results of both approaches and discuss a number of critical issues such as the properties of the distribution of efficiencies, the appropriate size of RIS, and how to deal with the issue of spatial autocorrelation.
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Sachsen-Anhalt als Wirtschaftsstandort: Wie erfolgreich sind das Land und seine Regionen?
Martin T. W. Rosenfeld
Geographische Rundschau,
2005
Abstract
The article examines the economic performance and the conditions for future economic development in the German Land of Saxony-Anhalt. After the integration of Saxony-Anhalt into the market economy since 1989, strong structural changes have taken place. Nevertheless, agriculture, coal mining and the chemical industry as some of the traditional sectors of the Land’s economy have remained their importance. The weak points of the economy are the low number of entrepreneurs and a low tendency for innovations in the private sector. The Magdeburg region and the Halle region have better conditions for (inter-) national competitiveness than the Altmark region and the Dessau region. But the potentials of the urban centers Magdeburg and Halle are - as compared to other East German cities - not very strong. For improving the eonomic conditions, new instruments for stimulating entrepreneurship and for strengthening the position of the two urban centers should be installed. In addition, innovation activities of private firms could be improved by new linkages between the private sector and Saxony-Anhalt’s public research units.
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Kooperation, Vernetzung und Erfolg von Unternehmen - die Biotechnologiebranche
Walter Komar
List Forum für Wirtschafts- und Finanzpolitik,
No. 2,
2005
Abstract
According to theoretical implications the succes of enterprises benefits from co-operation and integration into networks. Enterprises of the biotechnology sector in particular have a high propensity to build up co-operations. Estimations of the growth of firms using co-operation-based and non-co-operation-based factors as independent variables reveal a significantly positive influence of the propensity of co-operation as well as networking. In this regard scientific institutions and universities located in geographical proximity of firms play an important role. From this analysis it can be generalized and concluded, concerning other industries too, that networks emerge automatically under certain conditions. Nevertheless their creation and development should be encouraged, e.g. by efficiency incentives for public research and education of universities as well as an intensification of co-operation and networking between the scientific and the corporate sector. This can promote the technology and human capital transfer.
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Innovationskooperationen deutscher Unternehmen im europäischen und innerdeutschen Vergleich
Jutta Günther
Der Mittelstand an der Schwelle zur Informationsgesellschaft,
2005
Abstract
The study deals with innovation cooperation as a means to improve the competitiveness of enterprises. The empirical study compares the cooperation behaviour of innovative enterprises in Germany to other West European countries as well as between East and West Germany. The database used is the second Community Innovation Survey (CIS-2) of the EU. While German firms exhibit a cooperation frequency slightly below the average of the European Economic Area (EEA), enterprises in North European countries are by far most active with respect to cooperation frequency. The most important cooperation partner for firms in the EEA are other firms within the enterprise group, followed by suppliers and customers while German firms cooperate most frequently with universities. The comparative investigation of innovation cooperation in East and West Germany shows that East German firms cooperate more often than West German firms. However, a productivity advantage of cooperating firms against non-cooperating firms is only observable in West Germany. In East Germany, cooperating firms even exhibit a lower sales productivity than non-cooperating firms, which is explainable most probably through the fact that cooperation activities translate into productivity advantages only in the long run.
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