Collaborative knowledge production in China: regional evidence from a gravity model approach

Abstract

In this study we investigate collaborative knowledge production in China from a regional perspective. The objective is to illustrate spatial patterns of research collaborations between 31 Chinese regions, and to estimate the impact of geographical, technological and economic factors on the variation of cross-region collaboration activities within a Negative Binomial gravity model framework. We use data on Chinese scientific publications from 2007 with multiple author addresses coming from the China-National-Knowledge-Infrastructure (CNKI) database. The results provide evidence that geographical space impedes cross-region research collaborations in China. Technological proximity matters more than geography, while economic effects only play a minor role.