University specialization and new firm creation across industries

This article examines how the scientific specialization of universities impacts new firm creation across industries at the local level. In accordance with the Pavitt-Miozzo-Soete taxonomy, we consider eight industry categories, which reflect the characteristics of firms' innovation patterns and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Small business economics 2013-12, Vol.41 (4), p.837-863
Main Authors: Bonaccorsi, Andrea, Colombo, Massimo G., Guerini, Massimiliano, Rossi-Lamastra, Cristina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Business and Management
Business innovation
Colleges & universities
Economic development
Economic models
Economic statistics
Economic theory
Engineering
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship
Humanities
Incumbents
Industrial classifications
Industrial engineering
Industrial Organization
Innovation
Innovations
Italy
Knowledge
Management
Manufacturing industries
Microeconomics
R&D
Research & development
Service industries
Service industry
Small and medium sized enterprises
Small business
Social sciences
Specialization
Startups
Studies
Taxonomy
Technological innovation
Universities
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Summary:This article examines how the scientific specialization of universities impacts new firm creation across industries at the local level. In accordance with the Pavitt-Miozzo-Soete taxonomy, we consider eight industry categories, which reflect the characteristics of firms' innovation patterns and, ultimately, the knowledge inputs that firms require. Using data on new firm creation in Italian provinces (i.e., at the NUTS3 level), we estimate negative binomial regression models separately for each industry category to relate new firm creation to the scientific specialization in basic sciences, applied sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities of neighboring universities. We find that universities specialized in applied sciences and engineering have a broad positive effect on new firm creation in a given province, this effect being especially strong in service industries. Conversely, the positive effect of university specialization in basic sciences is confined to new firm creation in science-based manufacturing industries, even if this effect is of large magnitude. Universities specialized in social sciences and humanities have no effect on new firm creation at the local level whatever industry category is considered.
ISSN:0921-898X
1573-0913
DOI:10.1007/s11187-013-9509-5