Network, Channel, and Geographical Proximity of Knowledge Transfer: The Case of University-Industry Collaboration in South Korea

Abstract

The relationship between geographical proximity and academics' formal and informal knowledge-transfer activities in the network is analyzed with a mixed research method. With social network analysis as a basis, we have explored the networks between academics and firms in the 16 regions of South Korea. The result shows Seoul and Gyunggi are identified as central nodes, meaning that the academics in other regions tend to collaborate with firms in these regions. An econometric analysis is performed to confirm the localization of knowledge-transfer activities. The intensity of formal channels measured by the number of academic papers is negatively, but significantly associated with the geographical proximity. However, we have not found any significant relationship between the formality of the channels and geographical proximity. Possibly, the regional innovation systems in South Korea are neither big enough nor strong enough to show a localization effect.