Mapping research on R&D, innovation and productivity: a study of an academic endeavour

What is it about?

Researchers have for several decades studied how firms' R&D efforts translate into firm-level productivity growth. We analyze what impact this research has had, and in particular describe how efforts dedicated to this particular question it has contributed to research in a wide set of fields.

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Why is it important?

Science is full of questions. Most of the research efforts of scientists are directed towards seeking new or more refined answers to established research questions. But among scholars interested in the study of science, research efforts are primarily directed towards a higher level of abstraction (fields, disciplines). In a paper forthcoming in Economics of Innovation and New Technology, we seek to demonstrate that it possible and interesting to zoom in closer on the mechanisms of scientific progress. The methods we used here (bibliometrics tools in combination with direct engagement with academic texts) could be applied to study a range of different types of research questions. Ultimately, learning more about scientific engagement with specific research questions will allow us to learn more about how science "works".