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Essays in the Economics of Science and Innovation

Tham, Wei Yang
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3278-8184
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563298218950876

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Economics.
In this dissertation, I study topics in the economics of science and innovation using tools from applied econometrics and causal inference. In Chapter 1, I estimate the effect of short-term interactions on knowledge spillovers. Research in labor and urban economics has studied the importance of geographic proximity in reducing search costs and generating human capital spillovers and innovation. I study the colocation of scientists serving as reviewers for the NIH in committees known as study sections. I find that reviewers who serve together as reviewers are more likely to cite each other than reviewers who served at different times up to 10 years later, and that the longer the reviewers overlap, the stronger the effect. This suggests that familiarity with, and not just awareness of, another scientist is an important factor in knowledge diffusion In Chapter 2, we evaluate the impact of a large, targeted intervention on scientific output. In 2004, California passed Proposition 71, allocating $3 billion over 10 years to supporting stem cell research. We evaluate the effects of this policy using a generalization of the synthetic control method. We find that the policy led to a 20\% increase in publications by the state of California as a whole. This increase in the volume of research drove similar increases in high-impact or novel papers from California. Our results suggest that government can play a substantial role in determining the direction of research. In Chapter 3, I study the effect of budget uncertainty on research activity. In recent years, the U.S. federal budget has been a major source of uncertainty, which potentially impedes economic activity. This uncertainty can induce federal agencies to delay spending until later in the fiscal year. Businesses that rely on public funding may have their funding stream interrupted as a result. I study the effect of funding interruptions on one particular type of economic activity - research - for which exceptionally rich transaction-level data is available. I find that researchers respond to the uncertainty from funding interruptions by spending less in the months leading up to the expiry of funding. Spending is substantially lower in the first month after funding resumes but recovers within 2 months, suggesting that interruptions have a disruptive effect on research even when funds become available. These findings suggest that in addition to the quality of projects, agencies should take into account the continuity of funding when they make research awards.
Bruce Weinberg (Advisor)
David Blau (Committee Member)
Kurt Lavetti (Committee Member)
110 p.
Economics
Economics of Science; Economics of Innovation; Science Policy; Labor Economics; Urban Economics; Public Economics

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Tham, W. Y. (2019). Essays in the Economics of Science and Innovation [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563298218950876

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tham, Wei Yang. Essays in the Economics of Science and Innovation. 2019. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563298218950876.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tham, Wei Yang. "Essays in the Economics of Science and Innovation." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1563298218950876

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1563298218950876
300
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.