Working Paper: NBER ID: w19518
Authors: Siping Luo; Mary E. Lovely; David Popp
Abstract: We offer new evidence on indigenous innovation and intellectual returnees by estimating the relationship between patenting by Chinese photovoltaic firms and the presence of corporate leaders with international experience. Our research approach combines data from three sources: the industrial census, international and domestic patent records, and leadership biographical information. Using nonlinear methods, we find robust evidence that returnees positively influence patenting activity and also promote neighboring firm innovation. We find no tendency for export intensive firms to patent more. Controlling for R&D expenditures, we find that firms with returnees in leadership roles have more patents.
Keywords: Intellectual Returnees; Indigenous Innovation; Chinese Photovoltaic Industry; Patenting Activity
JEL Codes: O30; O31; O32; Q42; Q55
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Export intensity (Y10) | Patenting activity (O34) |
| Presence of intellectual returnees in leadership roles (I26) | Patenting activity (O34) |
| Clustering of returnees (C38) | Innovation in neighboring firms (O36) |
| Presence of returnees in leadership roles (O17) | Likelihood of obtaining utility and design patents (O34) |
| Presence of returnees in leadership roles (O17) | Likelihood of obtaining process patents (O31) |