Regional Innovation System

Innovation is a key factor in economic growth and development, especially important for the emergence of knowledge-based economies. Entrepreneurship is another driver of economic growth and reflects a dynamic economy. Good indicators of innovation and entrepre­neurship are difficult to identify. However, trends in patents and establishment data are indicators of knowledge-creation and entrepreneurial activity. 

Data for this indicator was obtained from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Patent data was obtained from the USPTO for all three NSJV counties. This data was then divided by the sum of employment for the three counties obtained from the BEA.

Data for this indicator was obtained from the Census Bureau’s Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB), and population estimates. Establishment entry by year was obtained from SUSB and was divided by the population of the respective year. The resulting number was then multiplied by 10,000 to reach the number of new establishments per 10,000 residents.

Data for this indicator was obtained from the Census Bureau’s Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB). The number of establishment entries for each year was divided by total establishments to obtain the establishment birth rate.

Data for this indicator was obtained from the Census Bureau’s Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB). Establishment birth rates were calculated as describes above. Death rates were calculated in the same fashion using establishment death, and total establishment data.

Data for this indicator was obtained from the Census Bureau’s Nonemployer Statistics and County Business Patterns (CBP). The nonemployer and employer establishments were summed from the Nonemployer Statistics and CBP to calculate total establishments in each county, and added together to arrive at the NSJV total. The number of nonemployer establishments were then divided by total establishments. 

Data for this indicator was obtained from the Census Bureau’s Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB)

U.S. Census Bureau