INNOVATION IN MALMÖ AFTER THE ÖRESUND BRIDGE Olof Ejermo

In this study, we contribute to the literature by assessing the importance of the effects of infrastructure improvements on regional innovation and by identifying the share of the effect that is attributable to the inflow of human capital from other regions. [...] These data are linked to the population of Swedish inventors, which one of the authors of this study identified from addresses in the patent data from the European Patent Office (EPO).3 The results of our study show that the average number of patents produced by individuals in the region of Malmö increased by 30-35% (depending on estimation) as compared to the control regions. [...] RESULTS 5.1: The common trend assumption In order to infer a causal relationship between the Öresund Bridge and the increase in patents of the individuals in the Malmö region, it is crucial to test whether the patenting activity of individuals in the Malmö region and the control regions was following a common trend over time before the year 2000. [...] We, therefore, estimate model (II), which adds a variable indicating newcomers to the region of Malmö (NEW) as well as an interaction with the variable POST, which informs us whether and to which extent individuals relocating to the region of Malmö after the inauguration of the 23 Öresund Bridge contribute to the overall positive effect of the bridge on the patent output of individuals. [...] CONCLUSION This paper investigates the effect of the opening of the Öresund bridge on the innovativeness of the Swedish region of Malmö.