Co-inventor networks and knowledge production in specialized and diversified cities

Research on the US urban system has shown that metropolitan regions with more local and non-local network ties outperform cities where economic agents are isolated. Yet, little attention is given to the character of the local knowledge base and how that influences network structure. We show that co-inventor networks differ between cities that produce specialized and diversified knowledge. Models of tie-formation show inventors in specialized cities value spatial proximity less and cognitive proximity more than inventors in diversified cities as they partner with non-local inventors. These findings suggest that the influence of social networks on knowledge production is conditioned by the architecture of the local knowledge base.