Cluster and Local Science-Industry Collaborations: Evidence from a Place-based Innovation Policy

Abstract

Place-based policies seek to enhance collaboration among co-located actors as proximity improves interactions and the recombination of existing ideas. However, there is little evidence that place-based innovation policies foster science-industry collaborations. Using data from a national cluster program in France and a novel control group-other industrial clusters-I examine whether the policy affects collaborative innovation of public research institutes and firms co-located within clusters. The results show that R&D clusters increase science-industry collaboration. This effect occurs gradually over time, and patents tend to be of higher quality. These results suggest that place-based innovation policies affect the organization of science-industry research within clusters.

Keywords: Science-Industry Collaborations, Cluster policy, Place-based policy, Organizational change, Counterfactual approach J24, O31, O34

JEL Classification: J24, O31, O34