Toronto – A paper co-authored by Prof. Ruben Gaetani of the University of Toronto is the recipient of the 2021 Austin Robinson Memorial Prize from the Royal Economic Society. The prize is awarded annually for the best paper published in The Economic Journal by authors who are within five years of receiving their PhDs.’
Gaetani is an assistant professor of strategic management at the University of Toronto Mississauga and the Rotman School of Management. The paper, ‘The Geography of Unconventional Innovation,’ appeared in the May 2021 issue of the Economic Journal and was co-authored with Enrico Berkes, a post-doctoral researcher at Ohio State University.
The paper shows that innovation activity is less concentrated in high-density locations than commonly believed. Yet, inventions based on atypical combinations of knowledge are indeed more prevalent in high-density urban centres. The managing editors of the Economic Journal said that the paper creates a better understanding of where innovation and modern growth comes from as a key part of economics and society in general and demonstrated a combination of new, interesting facts with a rigorous spatial model.
The paper is available online.
“This award highlights that there are great opportunities to work at the intersection of innovation and urban economics. I hope to contribute more to this area in my future research,” says Prof. Gaetani.
Bringing together high-impact faculty research and thought leadership on one searchable platform, the new Rotman Insights Hub offers articles, podcasts, opinions, books and videos representing the latest in management thinking and providing insights into the key issues facing business and society. Visit www.rotman.utoronto.ca/insightshub.
The Rotman School of Management is part of the University of Toronto, a global centre of research and teaching excellence at the heart of Canada’s commercial capital. Rotman is a catalyst for transformative learning, insights and public engagement, bringing together diverse views and initiatives around a defining purpose: to create value for business and society. For more information, visit www.rotman.utoronto.ca.
-30-
For more information:
Ken McGuffin
Manager, Media Relations
Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
E-mail: mcguffin@rotman.utoronto.ca