Knowledge Spillovers Through Human Mobility Across National Borders:udEvidence from Zhongguancun Science Park in China

摘要

This paper investigates the impact of returnee entrepreneurs and their knowledge spillovers onudinnovation in high-tech firms in China. Using panel data for 1,318 high-tech firms in Beijing Zhongguancun Science Park (ZSP) we find that returnee entrepreneurs create a significant spillover effect that promotes innovation in other local high-tech firms. The extent of thisudspillover effect is positively moderated by the non-returnee firm's absorptive capacity approximated by the skill level of employees. Multinational enterprises' R&D activities positively affect the innovation intensity of non-returnee firms only when these local firmsudpossess the sufficient level of absorptive capacity. Our findings have important policy and managerial implications for policy-makers and practitioners.