企業間ネットワークから生まれるイノベーションと距離

DOI Web Site 被引用文献4件

書誌事項

タイトル別名
  • Technological innovations, inter-firm networks and distance
  • キギョウカン ネットワーク カラ ウマレル イノベーション ト キョリ ジドウシャ サンギョウ オ ジレイ ト スル トッキョ データ ノ チリテキ ブンセキ
  • a geographical analysis of patent data in the Japanese automobile industry
  • 自動車産業を事例とする特許データの地理的分析

この論文をさがす

抄録

Interest in technological innovation has increased over the past several years in economic geography and cognate disciplines. Recent work emphasizes the importance of inter-firm networks (that is, user-producer or manufacture-supplier networks) in the innovation process, and that short geographical distance between firms enhances flows of technical knowledge. The importance of distance will vary with the type of innovative activity involved and with the type of firms. However, we need to consider how and to what extent distance matters in the innovation process.<br>Although its importance is recognized, few studies have attempted to examine the geography of technological innovations empirically and quantitatively since these are invisible and difficult to measure. However, we can examine technological innovations geographically by patent data, as Jaffe et al. (1993) have pointed out. Patents contain geographic information about their applicants and inventors, and enable geographical and empirical analysis of innovations. If two or more firms (or research institutes) co-apply for a patent, then that means these firms (or institutes) undertook joint innovative research through an inter-firm (or extra-firm) network.<br>The aim of this paper is to identify technological innovations brought about through interfirm networks and to examine the role of proximity in innovative activities. For this purpose, the author focuses on joint technological innovations between Japanese automobile companies and their suppliers.<br>This paper has used the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) database to search co-applied patents granted in 1998 between four automobile manufacturers (Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda) and their research partners (that is, their suppliers or public research institutes). The inventors' addresses of joint applicants were mapped (see Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5) and geographical distances between the addresses of both inventors were measured by GIS software. The relations between these distances and the attributes of joint-applicants were statistically analysed.<br>The results are summarized as follows:<br>1. If a joint applicant is an affiliated firm or a member of a supplier association (Kyoryoku-Kai) of the automobile manufacturers, geographical distance between both parties tends to be short. That is to say, geographical proximity between automobile manufacturers and their suppliers is significantly associated with their organizational proximity.<br>2. Suppliers whose geographical distances from an auto manufacturer are likely to be long are those with innovative capacity and those whose capital stock is over 100 million yen. A supplier with innovative capacity is defined as one with over 100 patents registration in 1998. This means that large and innovative firms are not always constrained by geographical distance from their partners.<br>3. If a supplier is a member of the Japan Auto Parts Industry Association (JAPIA), the distances between the supplier and its partner (that is, auto manufacturer) are likely to be short. It follows from this that auto parts suppliers tend to be more proximate to automobile manufacturers than others (for example, a materials supplier).<br>4. Toyota's average geographical distance from co-inventors is shorter than Honda's. In relation to this, the ratio of affiliated firms in Toyota's joint applicants is higher than that of Honda's. In other words, Toyota tends to do joint research with geographically and organizationally proximate firms, while Honda's joint applicants have a tendency to be geographically and organizationally distant.<br>5. Joint applications with public research institutes and university researchers are identified. The average distance of these institutes' inventors from an automobile manufacturer is longer than that of private firms.<br>6. Toyota and Honda co-applied for patents with U.S. firms. These patents are related to 'airbag' technology.

収録刊行物

  • 人文地理

    人文地理 53 (1), 18-35, 2001

    一般社団法人 人文地理学会

被引用文献 (4)*注記

もっと見る

キーワード

詳細情報 詳細情報について

問題の指摘

ページトップへ