• Journal of the Korean Regional Science Association
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.43-63
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• 2015

This study empirically analyzes the relationship between market structure and R&D activities. Especially, the outcome of R&D activities could be imitated or plagiarized by nearby competitors before it is protected legally through patenting, it would work as a club good and its market structure need to be defined at the geographic level of city, county or ward rather than the whole nation. According to the regression results of this study using Survey on Technology Statistics of Small- and Medium-Sized Firms, individual firms' R&D investment is more active when market structure of area(city, county, or ward)-industry(two-digit industry) is monopolistic or oligopolistic rather than competitive. However, as the variable representing market structure is redefined over a geographic scope of 16 metropolitan areas or provinces, 6 regions, or the whole nation, the relationship between market structure and R&D activities seems to become weak. Moreover, when the R&D expenditure is divided by its source, more active R&D spending in a less competitive market is observed as long as it is procured by internal fund of the firm in question.