Innovation, Networks and Learning Regions? address key issues of understanding in contemporary economic geography and local economic policy making in cities and regions in the advanced economies. Developing the idea that innovation is the primary driving force behind economic change and growth, the international range of contributors stress the importance of knowledge and information as the 'raw materials' of innovation. They examine the ways in which these elements may be acquired and linked through networks, and demonstrate that there are empirical examples of innovative areas which do not have highly developed networks yet appear to be relatively successful in terms of local economic growth. In so doing, they raise crucial questions about the ways in which regions or localities might be described as truly 'learning' areas, and about the sustainability of future economic and quality of life success based on innovation and high-technology.
Author(s): James Simme
Edition: New edition
Year: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 256
Book Cover......Page 1
Half-Title......Page 2
Title......Page 4
Dedication......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
PART I Introduction......Page 9
Introduction......Page 10
PART II Core Metropolitan Regions......Page 18
Introduction......Page 19
Schumpeterian Economics and the Role of Space......Page 20
Globalisation......Page 21
Flexible Specialisation and Marshal llian Industrial Districts......Page 22
Marshallian Districts......Page 24
Nation States and Local States......Page 25
The Global/Local Interface: An Explanatory Framework......Page 26
The Hertfordshire Case Study......Page 29
Early Results......Page 31
Conclusions......Page 35
Bibliography......Page 36
Background......Page 38
The Entrepreneur and the Local Culture of Enterprise......Page 40
The Data Set......Page 43
The Financial Performance of Innovative SMEs (n=51)......Page 44
The Regional Dimension......Page 45
Entreneurship and the Regional Culture of Enterprise......Page 46
Summary and Conclusions......Page 51
References......Page 53
Appendix 3.1......Page 54
CHAPTER 4 Technopolitan Spaces in the Greater ParisRegion and the InternationalRestructuring of Firms......Page 56
De-industrialisation: Plants Move to Outer Metropolitan Areas and Developmentof the Producer Services......Page 59
Inward Investments, Privatisations and the Persistent Public Sector......Page 61
What About the R&D jobs of Greater Paris in the 1990s?......Page 62
ttom-Up’ Development .........Page 64
Conclusion......Page 68
References......Page 69
Introduction......Page 71
Conceptual and Empirical Bases......Page 72
The Statistical Approach......Page 74
The More and Romsdal Region......Page 75
Industrial Base of the Region......Page 78
Innovation Inputs and Innovation-Related Expenditures......Page 80
Obstacles to Innovation......Page 83
Role of External Links......Page 86
Availability of a Skilled Workforce......Page 89
Regional Technological Infrastructure......Page 91
Role of Public Support for Innovation......Page 95
Summary and Conclusions......Page 96
Methodology......Page 100
References......Page 101
PART III Peripheral Regions......Page 104
Competitiveness, Globalisation and Regions......Page 105
Network Models and Technopoles......Page 107
The South Wales Technopole Project......Page 109
South Wales and European Competitiveness Policy......Page 111
Inward Investment......Page 113
The Feasibility Study......Page 114
Technical Activities......Page 115
Sources of Information and Knowledge for Innovation......Page 116
Technology Support Services......Page 117
Networking and Improved Support......Page 118
Lessons from North Rhine-Westphalia and Denmark......Page 120
Conclusion......Page 123
References......Page 124
Introduction......Page 128
From Entrepreneurs to Science Parks......Page 129
From Institutions to Learning Regions......Page 130
From Networks and Institutions to ‘Power/Institutions’......Page 132
Innovation Networks and Institution Building:Making Science and Technology More Durable......Page 135
Conclusion......Page 137
References......Page 138
Purpose of the Study......Page 141
The Conception of Technopolis......Page 142
Theoretical Approaches to the Locational Pattern of High TechnologyIndustries and the Technopolis Plan......Page 144
Background to the Technopolis Plan in the Technology Policy......Page 145
Economic Background in the View of the Government......Page 147
Economic Background from the View of Industry......Page 148
Goals of the Technopolis Plan......Page 149
Effects of the Technopolis Plan in the Regions......Page 150
Technopolis Hakodate......Page 151
Technopolis Ube (Yamaguchi)......Page 153
Technopolis Oita (Kenhoku Kunisaki)......Page 155
Analysis of Problems in the Technopolis Plan......Page 158
Conclusions......Page 160
References......Page 162
Introduction......Page 164
Regional-Economic Structure of Kyushu......Page 165
Spatial Division of Labour in Japan......Page 169
Spatial Division of Labour as an Explanation for the Dynamismin the Semi-Conductor Industry on Kyushu......Page 170
The ‘Technopolis’ Strategy and its Impact on Regional Disparitiesand ‘Silicon Island’ Kyushu......Page 171
Conclusions and Evaluation......Page 178
References......Page 180
PART IV Technology Transfer......Page 183
Technopoles and Innovation Support......Page 184
Technology Transfer, Innovation Support and EC Policies......Page 187
Observatories and Technology Information......Page 190
Technology Transfer Networks......Page 192
Provision of Advanced Technological Services......Page 193
Post-Technopolitan Command Centres......Page 195
References......Page 197
Introduction......Page 199
ICTs and Local Economic Development......Page 200
Methodology......Page 204
Current and Planned Policy......Page 205
Local Authority Involvement in ICT Initiatives......Page 206
ICT Initiative Objectives......Page 207
Funding Sources for ICT Initiatives......Page 208
Conclusions......Page 209
References......Page 212
The Concept of Innovative Milieu......Page 215
Incubator Organisations......Page 216
National Laboratories: Historical Context......Page 217
Harwell......Page 218
NEL......Page 219
DRA Malvern......Page 220
Belgium......Page 221
IMEC......Page 222
INCUBATION......Page 223
SMEs......Page 225
SCK......Page 226
France......Page 227
INCUBATION......Page 229
OTHER MECHANISMS......Page 230
Conclusions......Page 232
References......Page 233
PART V Conclusions......Page 236
CHAPTER 13 Summary and Conclusions......Page 237
The Contributors......Page 245
Subject Index......Page 246
Name Index......Page 254
