Determinants of Research and Development Intensity from a Network Perspective

We model and examine the research and development (R&D) intensity of a focal industry from an inter-industry network perspective. More specifically, we estimate how a focal industry’s R&D investment is affected by partner (suppliers and customers) industries’ R&D expenditure. We also investigate the impact of the overall economy on the focal industry’s R&D expenditure and finally how a focal industry’s position in the supply chain network moderates the overall economy’s impact on the focal industry’s R&D expenditure. We found that, in general, a focal industry’s R&D intensity is positively associated with its partner industries’ R&D intensity. In addition, an industry’s R&D intensity is positively associated with the growth rate of the overall economy. Finally, we found that a more central industry is subjected to a stronger impact of macroeconomic shocks on its R&D intensity though there is no significant association between an industry’s centrality and its R&D intensity.