The Impact of Industry-University-Research Collaboration on Regional Patent Scale: The Threshold Effects Analysis of Scientific and Technological Human Capital

Data set is the used in the paper. Abstract: Industry-University-Research Collaboration (IURC) is an important means to enhance the effectiveness of the national innovation system. Exploring the role of scientific and technological human capital (S&T HC) in the function of IURC is one of the key measures in implementing the requirements of "education, S&T, and talent" integrated development. Building on existing research, this study proposes a threshold effect hypothesis regarding the role of S&T HC in IURC and regional patent scale (RPS), and employs an econometric model to conduct empirical analysis. Using panel data of 30 provincial-level regions in China's mainland from 2010 to 2019, the findings are as follows: (1) IURC does not necessarily increase RPS, and S&T HC plays a threshold effect in this process; (2)The innovative effects of IURC have an upper limit on the size of S&T HC, and only when the S&T HC is relatively small does it show a positive impact on RPS; (3) There is heterogeneity in the effect of S&T HC on patent size and substitutability between it and S&T financial capital. The article reveals the threshold effect of S&T HC faced by IURC. The policy implications include implementing IURC policies according to local conditions for local governments, and actively guiding the balanced distribution of S&T HC for the central government, in order to better leverage the efficiency of the innovation system.