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This article sets out to investigate the relationship between the knowledge spillovers and the potential for high-value inventions to emerge. We study knowledge spillovers through the lens of knowledge networks: a web of interrelated knowledge elements with structural patterns. Knowledge spillovers influence the productivity of a technology sector and hence their pattern should impact the pathways for knowledge appropriation in the sector. It is hypothesized that a robust knowledge network is associated with knowledge appropriation leading to valuable inventions. We test the hypothesis using patent citation network of 1821 patents from 78 inventions belonging to two different technological sectors. Based upon the findings, we suggest network robustness as a new metric for determining the technical value of inventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main sources of technological development are from abroad rather than domestic in many countries. The global networks for knowledge and technology flows are becoming sophisticated. This article examines how a country's embeddedness in the global knowledge spillover networks, particularly trade and FDI, is related to national innovation performance. Network closure and structural hole, the main arguments in network theory literature, represent the main objectives of our network analysis. The results are subsequently used to assess how these network characteristics are related to national innovation performance via panel negative binomial regression analysis. The findings show an overall tendency of a negative effect of network closure and a positive one of structural holes on a country's innovative outcome. In conclusion, this article not only highlights the significant role of network characteristics in national innovation performance, but also provides implications on how to leverage such network resources to improve national innovation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship (KSTE) explores the effects that new knowledge and proximity have on the exploitation of entrepreneurial opportunities and the resultant creation of start-ups. This paper aims to identify the types of knowledge spillovers that affect entrepreneurs in the early stages of start-up development. A conceptual model is proposed, using a multi-case study approach involving high-tech start-ups that have attended accelerator and incubator programs in Greater London, United Kingdom. The research involved 32 semistructured interviews with chief executive officers and cofounders of start-up companies. Our findings suggest that entrepreneurs are influenced by various forms of knowledge spillover which assist in determining the strategic decision of the company, in terms of formation, including partnerships or alliances, allocation of Research and Development budgets, and engagement in product innovation. Further observations confirm that high-tech start-ups focus on a fast pace of constant product innovation to cover identified gaps in the market. One significant finding is that start-ups use various technological platforms to access knowledge spillovers which challenge the ideas of geographical proximity present in existing KSTE understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the decision of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in official standard setting alliances. Based on micro data of German firms in the electrical engineering and machinery industry, we show that innovation-related variables follow the predictions of our hypotheses. Research and development (R&D) intensity exhibits an inverse U-shaped relationship on the likelihood to join alliances. The positive relation suggests that SMEs aim to access the knowledge of larger firms whereas the negative relationship indicates that SMEs exceeding a certain threshold of R&D activity are reluctant to participate in standardization because their knowledge is too essential to disclose to competitors. The importance to access external knowledge via standardization committees is underlined by a positive correlation with the relevance of incoming knowledge spillovers and a negative correlation with the relative size of companies’ patent portfolios. Besides these variables, we also explore the traditionally considered factors for alliance formation and show that firm size and export intensity are positively correlated with participation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]