Evaluation of the impact of human capital on innovation activity in Russian regions

Abstract

The article evaluates the impact of changes in the structure of human capital on the innovative activity of Russian regions. We hypothesize that the different types of human capital formed by vocational education and training, higher education and doctoral programmes play an independent and significant role in the process of innovative development. To test the hypotheses, data on the innovative product output, applications for international patents and the structure of human capital of Russian regions for the period 2009–18 are used. The results of the analysis indicate that the impact of growth in the share of employees with higher education on the innovation and patent activity in Russian regions is characterized by diminishing returns, the shortage of skilled workers with vocational education hinders the growth of innovation output, and the growth in the share of researches with candidate or doctor of science degree increases innovation and patent activity if proper research and development funding is provided.

Keywords

• human capital
• regional innovation system
• knowledge production function
• regional innovation activity
• national research universities