CSTS researchers publish study on regulatory burdens and innovation
Posted by Kimber Crull
Researchers with the S&T Center for Science, Technology and Society (CSTS) Dr. Ting Shen, assistant professor of psychological science, and Dr. Mahelet Fikru, professor of economics, co-authored a study published in the December 2025 issue of Development and Sustainability in Economics and Finance.
The paper, titled “Navigating obstacles: How relative and isolated regulatory burdens shape R&D investment across regions,” examines how business regulatory environments influence firms’ decisions to invest in research and development. Using World Bank Enterprise Survey data from 63 countries, the study introduces a distinction between isolated regulatory burdens and relative burdens, which shows that firms in challenging environments may still innovate as a strategic adaptation.
Posted by Kimber Crull
