Proximity and cross-regional academia-industry collaboration: The moderating role of regional government support
Document Type
Research-Article
Journal Name
Technological Forecasting and Social Change
Keywords
Cross-regional academia-industry collaboration, Economic proximity, Exponential random graph models, Geographical proximity, Regional government support
Abstract
Previous studies have emphasized geographical proximity's role in academia-industry collaboration, yet this fails to explain the boom of cross-regional cooperation in China. Our study explores the factors driving these collaborations by introducing the concept of regional government support alongside geographical and economic proximity. Using exponential random graph models, we analyze cross-regional collaborations between research institutes affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and firms. Our findings indicate that geographical proximity is positively associated and economic proximity is negatively associated with cross-regional collaboration. Importantly, we find that government innovation support in the firm partner's region both directly enhances collaboration probability and moderates the effects of proximity factors. When the firm partner is located in regions with strong government innovation support, the positive impact of geographical proximity is weakened, whereas the negative effect of economic proximity is strengthened. These findings suggest that academic institutions are increasingly willing to overcome spatial and economic barriers when partnering with firms in regions offering strong institutional support for innovation. Our study provides new insights into the spatial patterns of academia-industry collaboration in China, revealing a trend whereby academic institutions increasingly concentrate their collaborative efforts in regions with strong government support for innovation. © 2026