Does the commercialization of academic patents spatially converge? Empirical evidence from China

Abstract

This research develops a spatial analytical framework to investigate the spatial distribution and dynamic evolution of academic patent commercialization. The results showed that the gravity center of academic patents commercialization in China shifted from southwest to northeast from 2010 to 2019, showing the characteristics of alternating spatial convergence and spatial divergence. Moreover, economic development will promote the centralization of the commercialization of academic patents, while local fiscal science and technology expenditure, development of local public libraries, regional urbanization and traffic decentralization will promote the decentralization of the commercialization of academic patents. Those findings affirm that spatial convergence or divergence of academic patent commercialization is the dynamic result of the contrast between the two forces of centralization and decentralization. This study provides an analytical framework for scholars to explore the dynamic spatial pattern evolution of academic patent commercialization.

Keywords:

• Spatial convergence
• commercialization of academic patents
• decentralization
• spatial difference-in-differences
• China