Does Size Determine the Efficiency of Clustered-Firms?-Evidence from Chinese Science Parks Over a Decade

In this study, we examine the factors which influence the efficiency of firms located in different clusters, and analyze the underlying mechanisms of it. Our sample contains data on more than 10,000 firms from 2005 to 2015 in Zhongguancun Science Parks in Beijing, China. Using the DEA model, we calculate the efficiency of each firm over time. It turns out that firm size has a strong negative relationship with firm's R&D efficiency, but a strong positive association with firm's commercial efficiency. Our study supplements the current knowledge by exploring the relationship between ownership and R&D efficiency which is also contingent on firm size. Then we found that the relationship between age of geographic clusters and R&D efficiency is also contingent on firm size. Discussions and analyses are given to these findings. Both managerial and academic implications are presented for further study.