Innovators as Rulemakers: Technical Expertise and Firm Influence in Environmental Regulations

Joyce Ma
Joyce Ma
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Abstract
How does firms’ technical knowledge translate into regulatory influence? I study more than 21,000 firm comments submitted to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rulemakings from 2006 to 2024, linking comment text to patents, firm characteristics, lobbying, and EPA responses. Firms with greater technical expertise are more likely to influence final rules, particularly when that expertise is environmentally relevant. Beyond underlying expertise, technical disclosure provides a distinct channel of influence, especially when firms draw on their own technologies and operational experience. This informational channel is particularly important for startups, which more strongly convert their expertise into frontier technical disclosure and receive greater regulatory returns from doing so.
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Joyce Ma
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Joyce Ma
PhD Candidate in Strategy

My name is Joyce. My Mandarin name is Heqiao, pronounced “huh-CHEE-ow.” I am a PhD Candidate in Strategy at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

My research lies at the intersection of non-market strategy, entrepreneurship, and innovation. I study how innovative firms and entrepreneurs shape the institutional environment alongside policymakers, how they respond to institutional changes, and how startups and incumbents interact within the innovation ecosystem. My work combines novel data sources with text analysis, machine learning, AI, and causal inference.

Prior to my PhD, I earned a Master’s degree in Economics from Duke University and conducted policy research at a leading think tank in China.

I am on the 2026-2027 academic job market.