Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 979-1016 |
| Number of pages | 38 |
| Journal | Journal of economic geography |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 18 Apr 2023 |
Abstract
It is widely understood that innovations tend to be concentrated in cities, which is evidenced by innovative output increasing disproportionately with city size. Yet, given the heterogeneity of countries and technologies, few studies explore the relationship between population and innovation numbers. For instance, in the USA, innovative output scaling is substantial and is particularly pronounced for complex technologies. Whether this is a universal pattern of complex technologies and a potential facilitator of scaling, is unknown. Our analysis compared urban scaling in urban areas across 33 countries and 569 technologies. Considerable variation was identified between countries, which is rooted in two fundamental mechanisms (sorting and boosting). The sorting of innovation-intensive technologies is found to drive larger innovation counts among cities. Among most countries, this mechanism contributes to scaling more than city size boosting innovation within specific technologies. While complex technologies are concentrated in large cities and benefit from the advantages of urbanization, their contribution to the urban scaling of innovations is limited.
Keywords
- complexity, geography of innovation, Innovation, O18, O33, O57, patents, R12, sorting, urban scaling
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences(all)
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
- Economics and Econometrics
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Journal of economic geography, Vol. 23, No. 5, 18.04.2023, p. 979-1016.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Boosting, sorting and complexity
T2 - urban scaling of innovation around the world
AU - Broekel, Tom
AU - Knuepling, Louis
AU - Mewes, Lars
PY - 2023/4/18
Y1 - 2023/4/18
N2 - It is widely understood that innovations tend to be concentrated in cities, which is evidenced by innovative output increasing disproportionately with city size. Yet, given the heterogeneity of countries and technologies, few studies explore the relationship between population and innovation numbers. For instance, in the USA, innovative output scaling is substantial and is particularly pronounced for complex technologies. Whether this is a universal pattern of complex technologies and a potential facilitator of scaling, is unknown. Our analysis compared urban scaling in urban areas across 33 countries and 569 technologies. Considerable variation was identified between countries, which is rooted in two fundamental mechanisms (sorting and boosting). The sorting of innovation-intensive technologies is found to drive larger innovation counts among cities. Among most countries, this mechanism contributes to scaling more than city size boosting innovation within specific technologies. While complex technologies are concentrated in large cities and benefit from the advantages of urbanization, their contribution to the urban scaling of innovations is limited.
AB - It is widely understood that innovations tend to be concentrated in cities, which is evidenced by innovative output increasing disproportionately with city size. Yet, given the heterogeneity of countries and technologies, few studies explore the relationship between population and innovation numbers. For instance, in the USA, innovative output scaling is substantial and is particularly pronounced for complex technologies. Whether this is a universal pattern of complex technologies and a potential facilitator of scaling, is unknown. Our analysis compared urban scaling in urban areas across 33 countries and 569 technologies. Considerable variation was identified between countries, which is rooted in two fundamental mechanisms (sorting and boosting). The sorting of innovation-intensive technologies is found to drive larger innovation counts among cities. Among most countries, this mechanism contributes to scaling more than city size boosting innovation within specific technologies. While complex technologies are concentrated in large cities and benefit from the advantages of urbanization, their contribution to the urban scaling of innovations is limited.
KW - complexity
KW - geography of innovation
KW - Innovation
KW - O18
KW - O33
KW - O57
KW - patents
KW - R12
KW - sorting
KW - urban scaling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174208032&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jeg/lbad006
DO - 10.1093/jeg/lbad006
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85174208032
VL - 23
SP - 979
EP - 1016
JO - Journal of economic geography
JF - Journal of economic geography
SN - 1468-2702
IS - 5
ER -