Does inventor centrality foster regional innovation? The case of the Swiss medical devices sector. Issue 8 (3rd August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Coffano, Monica; Foray, Dominique; Pezzoni, Michele
• Is Part Of: Regional studies. Volume 51:Issue 8(2017)
• Page Start: 1206
• Page End: 1218
• Publication Date: 2017-08-03
• Subjects: co-invention network -- centrality -- patents -- academic inventors -- medical devices; 共同发明网络 -- 中心性 -- 专利 -- 学术发明者 -- 医疗器材; réseau de co-invention -- centralité -- brevets -- inventeurs académiques -- dispositifs médicaux; kooperatives Erfindernetzwerk -- Zentralität -- Patente -- wissenschaftliche Erfinder -- Medizinprodukte; red de coinvención -- centralidad -- patentes -- inventores académicos -- dispositivos médicos; D85 -- O30 -- R10; Regional planning -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 307.14
• DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2017.1329585
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0034-3404

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Does inventor centrality foster regional innovation? The case of the Swiss medical devices sector. Regional Studies . This paper contributes an empirical analysis to the discussion of the impact of inventors' collaboration networks on regional innovation. More precisely, it investigates how inventors' degree centrality in the regional co-invention network, and inventors' cross-regional linkages, influence innovation in the Swiss medical devices sector. The results show that high values of inventor centrality and the presence of cross-regional linkages have mutually reinforcing effects on innovation. These findings provide insights for policy-makers designing policy to encourage regional innovation.