Linkage- and structure-based technological proximity and interregional spillovers of innovation growth

This paper explores the roles of different types of technological proximity on the interregional spillovers of innovation growth. Using a panel dataset containing Chinese province patents and R&D inputs from 2002 to 2019, this paper estimates a knowledge production function with the spatial weight matrices constructed based on the linkage-based and structure-based technological proximity. We find that the two types of technological proximity are significantly different and their contributions to interregional innovation spillovers differ. The structure-based proximity shows a lower influence on spillovers and its effect in the process of interregional innovation spillovers is affected by the regional development level. This paper originates to clarify two conceptualizations of technological proximity, compare their influences on innovation spillovers, and explore their regional differences.