Do university based biotechnology centres impact regional biotechnology related (commercial) employment?

Author : Mark L. Burton, Michael J. Hicks

Addresses:
Center for Transportation Research, 309 Conference Center Bldg., Knoxville, TN 37996–4133, USA; Marshall University, Center for Business and Economic Research, 1 John Marshall Drive , Huntington, West Virginia 25755, USA. 
Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433, USA; Marshall University, Center for Business and Economic Research, 1 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, West Virginia 25755, USA

Abstract: This paper evaluates the commercial spillover impact of university biotechnology research centres in the eastern USA. Using a quasi-experimental technique to select a panel, we test data on a sample of 21 cities with university biotechnology research centres and 40 cities that do not have these centres. We find a strong positive correlation between regional commercial biotechnology employment and the centres. This supports research performed by Zucker et al. (1998) and Zucker (2001) in identifying regional spillovers emanating from biotechnology research at universities. These studies focus on institutional factors related to spillovers of university-based biotechnology centres. This work is differentiated from these studies in that it focuses on institutional and public sector support for the biotechnology centres.

Keywords: university biotechnology; commercial biotechnology; quasi-experimental techniques; technology transfer; university research; research centres; USA; United States; regional employment; regional spillovers; institutional support; public sector support; biotechnology centres.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2006.013345

Int. J. of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2006 Vol.5, No.4, pp.390 - 400

Available online: 21 Apr 2007
For further details log on website :
http://www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=13345