Place-based policies and local technology spillovers: Evidence from national high-tech zones in China

This study examines the impact of place-based policies on local technology spillovers, using a sample from the Chinese A-share market. The findings indicate that firms experience greater local technology spillovers following the establishment of national high-tech zones (HTZs). Channel analysis shows that HTZ policies facilitate the formation of R&D alliances and promote technology transactions. The positive effects are more pronounced in firms with higher knowledge absorptive capacity, those led by executives with academic backgrounds, and in environments with weaker market competition and intellectual property rights enforcement. Additionally, the research reveals that the technology spillovers generated by HTZ policies primarily spread between industries rather than within them.