Knowledge spillovers through human mobility across national borders: Evidence from Zhongguancun Science Park in China

This paper investigates the impact of returnee entrepreneurs and their knowledge spillovers on innovation in high-tech firms in China. Using panel data for 1318 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 this spillover 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 firms possess the sufficient level of absorptive capacity. Our findings have important implications for policy-makers and practitioners.

Research highlights▶ We investigate the impact of returnee entrepreneurs on innovation in China. ▶ We find that returnees have a significant spillover effect in high-tech industries. ▶ The spillover effect is positively moderated by other firm's absorptive capacity.