A Multilevel Approach to Geography of Innovation

Srholec M. A multilevel approach to geography of innovation, Regional Studies. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how research on geography of innovation can benefit from multilevel modelling. Using micro-data from the third Community Innovation Survey in the Czech Republic, the hypothesis that regional framework conditions determine the innovative performance of firms and that this effect differs for different kinds of firms is quantitatively assessed. The results indicate that the quality of the regional innovation system directly influences the likelihood of a firm to innovate and that this effect decreases with the size of the firm. Also, broader social characteristics of the region are relevant explanatory factors of innovation.