Determinants of technology-specific R&D collaboration networks: Evidence from a spatial interaction modelling perspective

It is commonly acknowledged, that the creation of knowledge is the result of interactive, collaborative learning processes among organizations of different types located in different regions. Especially, in a strongly knowledge-based economy built on fast-growing and R&D-intensive technologies such as Key Enabling Technologies (KETs), collaborative knowledge creation is gaining importance to rapidly enable access to external, nation-wide and global new sources of knowledge. With the focus on technology-specific R&D collaboration networks in six KETs, each representing different knowledge bases and modes of (collaborative) knowledge creation, we emphasize the determining role of technology-specific heterogeneities. The objective is to estimate determinants of these technology-specific R&D collaboration networks, focusing on spatial separation and network structural effects. We employ a spatially filtered negative binomial spatial interaction model with a set of 521 regions to identify differences in the determinants of technological knowledge flows, proxied by EU-funded collaborative projects. The results show differences in the relative importance of the determinants. Geographical barriers are significant, and network structural effects are of high importance, but do not remove spatial effects in all KETs. Both spatial and network effects seem to be of higher relevance for more industrial and engineering based than more science based technological fields.