Research on the relationship between R&D input and patent output in Hebei Province

The number of patents applying is an important indicator of the technological level of a region. The most fundamental factor that influences the number of patents applying is the R&D input. With the Granger causality test, this study verified the causality between the R&D input and patent output in Hebei Province in the case of the full-time equivalent of R&D personnel with one year lag for the patent output and the R&D expenditures with two years lag for the patent output. Further, based on the Cobb-Douglas production function, the theoretical model for the relationship between the R&D input and the patent output was established, and the correlation of the R&D input and innovation output in Hebei Province was analyzed. For the status quo in Hebei, relevant policies and recommendations were proposed in the study to intensify the R&D input and improve the efficiency of the R&D input.