Spillovers diffusion inside networks of cooperation: the role of temporary geographical and organisational proximities

The objective of this article is to examine the diffusion of spillovers within technological cooperation. More precisely, we shall ask to what extent permanent geographic proximity, defined, as co-location by the geography of innovation, is really necessary to benefit from spillovers when agents cooperate. It turns out that co-localisation is not a sufficient condition; geographic proximity is often required but it can be temporary. This condition must be linked with organisational proximity to be effective. Then, it appears that spillovers are not “in the air(s)” but in networks.