The average workforce education near firms’ research centers facilitates firms’ matching with innovation talents and acquisition of knowledge. This study documents a positive association between the average education level in the metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) where firms’ research centers are located and the quantity and quality of innovation outputs. The results are confirmed by controlling for various measures of MSA-level economic, population, and employment conditions, as well as research-center level analyses which control for firm-year fixed effects. We further find that local workforce education is more important for firms that are large, less labor-intensive, in non-high-tech industries and located in low education regions. The evidence highlights the importance of having access to well-educated local workforce for corporate innovation.

JEL Classification: G30, J24, O31

企业研究中心附近的平均劳动力教育有利于企业与创新人才的匹配和知识的获取。本研究记录了公司研究中心所在的大都市统计区 (MSA) 的平均教育水平与创新产出的数量和质量之间的正相关关系。通过控制 MSA 层面的经济、人口和就业条件的各种衡量指标，以及控制企业年度固定效应的研究中心层面的分析，这些结果得到了证实。我们进一步发现，对于规模较大、劳动密集程度较低、非高科技行业以及位于教育程度低的地区的公司而言，当地劳动力教育更为重要。

JEL分类： G30、J24、O31