| 1. |
- Asheim, Bjørn, et al.
(författare)
-
Introduction : Combinatorial Knowledge Bases, Regional Innovation, and Development Dynamics
- 2017
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Ingår i: Economic Geography. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0013-0095 .- 1944-8287. ; 93:5, s. 429-435
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The special issue zooms in on knowledge dynamics that drive innovation processes and new path development in different regional and sectoral contexts. This investigation rests on the differentiated knowledge base approach, which offers a clear distinction between analytical, synthetic and symbolic types of knowledge and deep insights into their idiosyncrasies. The introduction frames knowledge bases as theoretically discernible and differentiated forms of knowledge creation that are of particular relevance for innovation processes. The knowledge base approach goes beyond sector and regional approaches to innovation and focuses on micro-level dynamics of knowledge creation and knowledge combination within firms, industries and regions. This special issue offers theoretical advances and empirical insights into the causal linkages between such knowledge dynamics, innovation and new path development. It contributes to economic geography in providing an improved understanding of mechanism behind economic growth and development in various sectors and regions as well as to make better sense of the consistent heterogeneity of performance between firms within the same sectors and regions. All this underpins a broad-based innovation policy approach and an active role of policy makers in stimulating novel combinations of differentiated knowledge bases, which shows its roots in the (regional) innovation systems tradition.
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| 2. |
- Asheim, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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Sistemas regionales de innovación : Pasado, presente y futuro
- 2019
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Ingår i: Revista Galega de Economia. - : Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. - 1132-2799 .- 2255-5951. ; 28:2, s. 4-22
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since its development in the 1990s, the Regional Innovation Systems (RIS) approach has attracted considerable attention from economic geographers, innovation scholars and policy makers. The RIS approach is well-known in scientific discourse about the uneven geography of innovation and the factors that shape the knowledge generation and innovation capacities of regions. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the emergence of the RIS approach, the current debate as well as future challenges. This paper is structured around four over arching research questions: What are the origins and theoretical foundations of this ap-proach? What has the RIS approach contributed to innovation studies and economic geography? What are the implications for innovation policy? And what are the recent lines of research and key research challenges in the future? We argue that the con-tributions of the RIS approach have been substantial. Nevertheless, the approach has often been applied in a rather static way, more as a heuristic than a coherent theory. The key challenges for current and future research, therefore, are to move towards a more theory-based, dynamic perspective on RIS, dealing with new path development and the transformation of RIS.
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| 3. |
- Asheim, Bjørn, et al.
(författare)
-
Smart Specialization as an Innovation-Driven Strategy for Economic Diversification : Examples From Scandinavian Regions
- 2017
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Ingår i: Advances in the Theory and Practice of Smart Specialization. - 9780128041598 - 9780128041376 ; , s. 73-97
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This chapter provides conceptual and empirical foundations for smart specialization, a policy approach of far-reaching importance in the European context. We interpret the very notion as “diversified” specialization into areas of existing or potential competitive advantage, which differentiates a region/nation from others. “Smart” relates to the identification of these areas through a process of entrepreneurial discovery, in which all actors are mobilized to be able to discover domains for securing existing and future competitiveness. Competitive advantage through smart specialization can be promoted in all types of industries but based on the industry-specific modes of innovation and knowledge bases, which is illustrated through case studies in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Depending on the preconditions, we find that variegated strategies of smart specialization are pursued, including building the absorptive capacity of DUI-based firms by increasing their research-based competence (introducing analytical knowledge), combining unrelated knowledge bases to move into new related and unrelated industries, combining related knowledge bases to move into unrelated industries, and moving into high value–added niches by introducing symbolic knowledge in traditional sectors.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Erlström, Andreas, et al.
(författare)
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The geography of connectivity : a review of mobile positioning data for economic geography
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Geographical Systems. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1435-5949 .- 1435-5930. ; 24:4, s. 679-707
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Connectivity between and within places is one of the cornerstones of geography. However, the data and methodologies used to capture connectivity are limited due to the difficulty in gathering and analysing detailed observations in time and space. Mobile phone data potentially offer a rich and unprecedented source of data, which is exhaustive in time and space following movements and communication activities of individuals. This approach to study the connectivity patterns of societies is still rather unexplored in economic geography. However, a substantial body of work in related fields provides methodological and theoretical foundations, which warrant an in-depth review to make it applicable in economic geography. This paper reviews and discusses the state-of-the-art in the analysis of mobile phone and positioning data, with a focus on call detail records. It identifies methodological challenges, elaborates on key findings for geography, and provides an outline for future research on the geography of connectivity.
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| 6. |
- Fil Kristensen, Iryna, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Leadership and governance challenges in delivering place-based transformation through Smart Specialisation
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Regional studies. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0034-3404 .- 1360-0591. ; 57:1, s. 196-208
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper considers the unfolding of Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3) in one of Europe's innovation-leading metropolitan regions: Stockholm, Sweden. Theoretically, it contributes to debates around change agency and reflects more broadly, which implications arise for metropolitan innovation-leader regions and which are of more generic nature. It argues that actor endowments, dense networks, experience with participatory governance processes and good governance are not sufficient for a successful implementation of RIS3. It finds that transformative regional innovation policy is contingent upon the adequate empowerment of change agents rather than on general regional preconditions.
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| 7. |
- Friedrich, Jonathan, et al.
(författare)
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Circular transitions in global production networks?: : a multi-scalar approach to anticipating socio-economic and socio-environmental effects of ‘x-shoring’
- 2024
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The circular economy (CE) is argued as a possible model for dealing with value chain instabilities in global production networks. Since geographical proximity is central to unlocking circular potential, x-shoring (including concepts like reshoring, resourcing, or friendshoring) is arguably key to this process. Often, spatial restructurings of the CE are embraced without a critical examination of their multi-scalar effects. Nevertheless, spatial restructuring of the economy inevitably produces winners and losers. To navigate the tensions that arise in the context of uneven development and environmental (in)justice, we present a framework for anticipating plausible socio-economic and socio-environmental effects of x-shoring processes across place, scale, and time. We illustrate our framework with insights from the literature on old industrial regions and cases documented in the Environmental Justice Atlas. Our framework represents a holistic approach that integrates interdisciplinary literature from different disciplines. We discuss the ambivalent effects of x-shoring across space, scale, and time, principles for navigating the tensions that arise, and outline research avenues for a thorough exploration of the geography of x-shoring in the CE and beyond. Because of the ambivalence of these processes, we conclude that research must embrace the complexity of these developments by employing integrative, multi-scalar approaches that empower local agency.
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| 8. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Advancing the treatment of human agency in the analysis of regional economic development : Illustrated with three Norwegian cases
- 2022
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Ingår i: Growth and Change. - : Wiley. - 0017-4815 .- 1468-2257. ; 53:1, s. 248-275
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human agency has become a core topic in economic geography complementing traditional, structural approaches to explain regional development. This paper contributes firstly with a discussion of the theoretical and conceptual relationships between the agency of individuals, organizations, and systems. Secondly, it proposes a novel analytical framework for studying how human agency, combined with external changes affects regional economic development, and how regional structural preconditions and external changes explain the activation of change agency. Thirdly, the relevance of the framework is examined through comparative studies of about 20 years of industrial development in three Norwegian regions. This illuminates the importance of human agency in regional transformation processes, how regional preconditions influence but not determine the activation of change agency, as well as why and how regional policy plays a role in the emergence of change agency. Yet, future research needs to investigate the context conditions, which promote or hinder the activation of change agency, to trace change in economic activities over time and link it to causal mechanisms, and to pay attention to the unintended consequences of change agency in the longer-term.
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| 9. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Agency and economic change in regions : identifying routes to new path development using qualitative comparative analysis
- 2023
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Ingår i: Regional Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0034-3404 .- 1360-0591. ; 57:8, s. 453-1468
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper investigates the role of human agency in 40 phases of regional economic development in 12 Nordic regions over 30 years. It contributes with a theoretical framework to study agency over time and a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis based on a unique dataset combining over 200 interviews, with printed and online sources, and quantitative data. The paper identifies which combinations of agency types and context conditions make industrial upgrading or diversification possible, and investigates how such combinations come into being. The causal claims from this analysis are illustrated with empirical examples and discussed in relation to previous literature.
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| 10. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Bouncing forward better–micro-foundations of combinatorial innovation
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Ingår i: Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research. - 1351-1610.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article theoretically investigates the conditions that empower actors (entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs) to pursue combinatorial innovation processes, and thereby contribute to transformative activities with a high degree of novelty and complexity. We argue that the possibility for combinatorial innovation depends on agents’ time perspective and combinatorial capabilities. We elaborate why institutional incentive structures and knowledge bases condition actors’ time perspective and why network structures and firm routines condition actors’ combinatorial capabilities. We illustrate our arguments with examples and show their practical relevance for policy and innovative actors.
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| 11. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Bridging the gap : citizenship diversity and global innovation networks in small and medium size companies
- 2018
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Ingår i: European Planning Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0965-4313 .- 1469-5944. ; 26:12, s. 2279-2303
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Recent literature stresses the increasing importance of global innovation networks (GINs) as a mechanism to organize innovation across geographical space. This paper investigates why and to what extent citizenship diversity of the firm's employees relates to the engagement of small and medium size companies in GINs. Citizenship diversity provides knowledge about the institutional context of other countries, increased capabilities to deal with institutional differences, larger social networks to build GINs and a broader search space. Further, the paper examines how the absorptive capacity of firms mediates the relationship between citizenship diversity and GINs. The empirical study is based on a linked employee-employer dataset with 6,771 observations of innovative small and medium size firms in Sweden. It provides strong evidence that the engagement in GINs is positively related to citizenship diversity, depending, however, on the absorptive capacity of firms.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Combining Knowledge from Different Sources, Channels and Geographical Scales
- 2014
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Ingår i: European Planning Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1469-5944 .- 0965-4313. ; 22:11, s. 2305-2325
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this article is to examine conceptually and empirically how innovative firms combine knowledge (1) provided by different sources, (2) accessed at different spatial scales and (3) acquired through different channels. We add to the conceptual debate by contrasting and synthesising the perspectives offered on these issues by four key concepts, namely the local buzz and global pipelines argument, the knowledge-base approach, the notions of Science-Technology-Innovation and Doing-Using-Interacting modes of innovation as well as the regional innovation systems concept. The empirical part of the article contains an analysis of knowledge-sourcing activities employed by 181 firms belonging to the Austrian automotive supplier industry. Our findings reveal that it is, indeed, combinations of knowledge sourced from different partners located at different spatial scales and acquired through different channels that are relevant. However, it is particular combinations that dominate while others are negligible. Austrian automotive supplier firms combine knowledge provided by customers with knowledge inputs from a variety of other sources. Most of the combinations involve the European or global levels combined with the regional and/or national level. Finally, firms combine spillovers with a variety of other channels to acquire innovation-relevant knowledge.
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| 14. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Cultural diversity and employment growth : Moderating effect of the recent global financial crisis
- 2018
-
Ingår i: Australian Journal of Management. - : SAGE Publications. - 0312-8962 .- 1327-2020. ; 43:4, s. 632-652
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article analyses the effect of cultural diversity on employment growth, considering the recent global financial crisis (GFC) as a moderating factor. In doing so, we developed competing hypotheses based on Blau’s theory of heterogeneity versus an alternative perspective which combines the resource-based view (RBV) with social identity theory (SIT). We empirically test such theories using a unique longitudinal dataset comprising the population of all firms in Sweden between 2003 and 2012. We find support for the latter hypothesis, that is, the relationship between cultural diversity and employment growth is inverted U-shaped, which is even more pronounced during/after the GFC. We discussed the implications of these findings for other contexts. JEL Classification: M14, M51, E24, G01
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| 15. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Does institutional diversity promote global innovation networks?
- 2016
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Recent literature stresses the increasing importance of global innovation networks as a new mechanism to organize innovation across geographical space. This paper investigates if institutional diversity, defined at the level of the firm, influences firms’ engagement in GINs. Institutional diversity provides knowledge about the institutional context of other countries, increased capabilities to deal with institutional differences, larger social networks to build GINs and a broader search space. Further, the paper examines how the absorptive capacity of firms mediates the relationship between institutional diversity and global innovation networks. The empirical study is based on a linked employee-employer dataset with 8,573 innovative firms in Sweden. It provides strong evidence that the engagement in GINs is positively related to institutional diversity and that the relation is particularly strong for global innovation networks, depending, however, on the absorptive capacity of firms.
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| 16. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Does the Timing of Integrating New Skills Affect Start-up Growth?
- 2021
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Ingår i: Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. - : Wiley. - 1932-4391 .- 1932-443X. ; 15:4, s. 647-684
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research SummaryGrowth often requires start‐ups to recruit new skills not present in the founding team. We analyze if the relationship between integrating new skills and growth depends on timing. Should new skills be recruited as early as possible, or can start‐ups add them as needed along the way? Using a unique panel dataset covering Sweden's population of start‐ups from 1997 to 2012, our analysis shows that (a) start‐ups' growth rate is positively correlated with integrating novel skills early in their life, while adding novel skills later is associated with lower growth and (b) corporate spin‐offs profit less from recruiting novel skills than de novo start‐ups. We mirror our results against existing theories and develop theoretical perspectives for future research.Managerial SummaryEntrepreneurs and managers of start‐ups need to develop the competences of their company as it matures. For this, they typically need to hire qualified personnel. But when is the best time to do so? In this paper, we show that the costs of integrating new skills from recruitment increase over time. We show that in order to achieve high firm growth there is a window of opportunity for successful recruitment covering the first 3–4 years after the founding of the company. Recruiting novel skills after this period is associated with reduced firm growth. Our results are thus in favor of a hiring strategy, where needed skills are recruited as early as possible.
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| 17. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Firm Performance in the Periphery: On the Relation between Firm-Internal Knowledge and Local Knowledge Spillovers
- 2015
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This paper challenges one of the fundamental propositions within economic geography; that location in knowledge regions contributes to firm performance in general and especially for knowledge intensive firms that compete on the basis of knowledge. Our analysis of Swedish micro-data on 32,535 firms from 2004-2011 provides evidence that knowledge intensive firms benefit less from local knowledge spillovers than firms with comparably low in-house knowledge. This suggests that firms with high internal competencies can compensate for a lack of local knowledge spillovers and that negative knowledge externalities may make location outside knowledge centers more beneficial for such firms.
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| 18. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Firm performance in the periphery: on the relation between firm-internal knowledge and local knowledge-spillovers
- 2017
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Ingår i: Regional Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1360-0591 .- 0034-3404. ; 51:8, s. 1219-1231
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Firm performance in the periphery: on the relation between firm-internal knowledge and local knowledge spillovers. Regional Studies. One of the most established arguments in regional studies is that knowledge dynamics shape thegeography of economic activities and, more specifically, that knowledge-intensive activities benefit from collocation due to knowledge spillovers, local buzz and access to labour. There are, however, competing arguments that knowledge-intensive firms also suffer from negative spillovers and are less dependent on local knowledge sources than often presumed. Using Swedish micro-data from 2005–11, this paper shows that firms with weak internal knowledge grow faster in knowledge-intensive regions. However, the growth difference disappears or is even reversed for knowledge-intensive firms.
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| 19. |
- Grillitsch, Markus
(författare)
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Following or breaking regional development paths : on the role and capability of the innovative entrepreneur
- 2019
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Ingår i: Regional Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0034-3404 .- 1360-0591. ; 53:5, s. 681-691
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Structural change, economic diversification and new path development feature prominently in scientific and policy debates. Against the backdrop of increasing specialization in the economy, this paper reinterprets Schumpeterian innovative entrepreneurship as a fundamental process that creates new connections between distinct fields of specialization, thereby induces path-breaking innovations and structural change. It is argued that the transformation capability of innovative entrepreneurs rests essentially on their position(s) and networks within evolving innovation systems. By focusing on micro-level processes and transformation capability, the paper complements the large body of work on structural barriers. Unintended consequences, supporting institutional arrangements and policy implications are discussed.
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| 20. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Green industry development in different types of regions
- 2019
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Ingår i: European Planning Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1469-5944 .- 0965-4313. ; 27:11, s. 2163-2183
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- At the regional level, the imperative of sustainable development often manifests itself in an emphasis on developing green industries. However, regions vary in their preconditions for achieving this. In this paper we link regional preconditions to various pathways for green industry development. This provides the foundation for identifying place-based policy implications for growing green industries in different types of regions, grounded in the emerging perspective in innovation studies on transformative innovation policy. The paper thereby helps to understand the pathways for greening the economy in different regional contexts and how such green pathways can be promoted through policy.
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| 21. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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How does multi-scalar institutional change affect localized learning processes? A case study of the med-tech sector in Southern Sweden
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Environment & Planning A. - 0308-518X. ; 48:1, s. 154-171
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Co-location alone is not sufficient to ensure efficient and effective interaction between economic agents. Also, institutions at multiple scales shape the behaviour of organizations and provide incentives for interaction. However, institutions, as well as the impact of institutions on economic agents, are not static, but rather change over time. In this paper we investigate this dynamic process: How does institutional change at different geographical scales affect localized learning processes? Using an intensive case study of the medical technology sector in Southern Sweden, we trace in detail how institutions at the supra-national, national and regional scale have changed over the past 15 years and how these have affected the opportunities for localized learning between firms and hospitals. Our case makes three contributions. First, it provides a detailed empirical example of the interdependencies between institutions at the supra-national, national and regional scales. Second, as institutions shape the behaviour of organizations, we demonstrate that institutional change introduced at the extra-regional scale can have profound consequences for the establishment of local innovation linkages - and thereby for the opportunities for localized learning. Third, this leads us to reconsider the ambitions of regional policies that aim to enhance localized learning.
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| 22. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
How novel is Transformative Innovation Policy?
- 2020
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The focus and instruments of innovation policy have changed fundamentally over the last decades. Recently transformative innovative policy has caught the attention of scholars and policy makers, arguing that this is a new shift in the policy discourse. Even though grand challenges such as global warming and migration flows, as well as technological change such as artificial intelligence and industry 4.0 have fired the debate on transformative innovation policies in recent years, it has a long history – even going back to Schumpeter. This book chapter unfolds the historical and conceptual roots of transformative innovation policy, compares critically the different strands of literature, and discusses important questions for future research.
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| 23. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Innovation in peripheral regions: Do collaborations compensate for a lack of local knowledge spillovers?
- 2015
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Ingår i: Annals of Regional Science. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0592 .- 0570-1864. ; 54:1, s. 299-321
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It is widely accepted that firms in peripheral regions benefit to a lesser extent from local knowledge spillovers than firms located in agglomerations or industrial clusters. This paper investigates the extent to which innovative firms in peripheral regions compensate for the lack of access to local knowledge spillovers by collaborating at other geographical scales. So far the literature predominantly suggests that collaborations complement rather than compensate for local knowledge spillovers. Using data on the collaboration patterns of innovative firms in Sweden, this paper provides evidence that firms with low access to local knowledge spillovers tend to collaborate more. This effect, however, depends on firm size and in-house capabilities. Our findings suggest that firms with strong in-house capabilities do indeed compensate for a lack of local knowledge spillovers with collaborations while firms with weaker in-house capabilities depend more on the regional knowledge infrastructure.
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| 24. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Innovation in peripheral regions: Do collaborations compensate for a lack of local knowledge spillovers?
- 2014
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- It is widely accepted that firms in peripheral regions benefit to a lesser extent from local knowledge spillovers than firms located in agglomerations or industrial clusters. This paper investigates the extent to which innovative firms in peripheral regions compensate for the lack of access to local knowledge spillovers by collaborating at other geographical scales. So far the literature predominantly suggests that collaborations complement rather than compensate for local knowledge spillovers. Using data on the collaboration patterns of innovative firms in Sweden, this paper provides evidence that firms with low access to local knowledge spillovers tend to collaborate more. This effect, however, depends on firm size and in-house capabilities. Our findings suggest that firms with strong in-house capabilities do indeed compensate for a lack of local knowledge spillovers with collaborations while firms with weaker in-house capabilities depend more on the regional knowledge infrastructure.
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| 25. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Innovation Policies and New Regional Growth Paths : A Place-Based System Failure Framework
- 2018
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Ingår i: Innovation Policy, Systems and Management. - : Cambridge University Press. - 9781108529525 - 9781108423830 ; , s. 329-358
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fundamental and enduring changes brought about by recurrent economic and financial crises, the digital revolution and ongoing globalisation processes of production and innovation activities are posing major challenges for regional and national economies to renew their industrial structures and develop innovations that break existing development trajectories. This calls for new innovation policy approaches that are well equipped to support transformation processes towards new industrial growth paths. This chapter aims to provide the conceptual underpinnings for such a reorientation of innovation policy. We take an innovation system (IS) perspective and develop a comprehensive place-based system failure framework for an innovation policy design that is suitable to promote structural change in different region-specific contexts.
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| 26. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Innovation policy for system-wide transformation : The case of strategic innovation programmes (SIPs) in Sweden
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Research Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-7333 .- 1873-7625. ; 48:4, s. 1048-1061
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The orientation towards grand societal challenges can be seen as a new wave or paradigm for innovation policy. Such policy aims at system-wide transformation and is often referred to as system innovation policy. While insights from transition studies have provided novel and useful rationales for innovation policy targeting system-wide transformation, it remains unclear how to design, implement and evaluate such policies. The contribution of this paper is to translate and concretize the challenges of system innovation policy towards scope for policy action and analysis. Building on insights from transition studies we group the challenges into four domains: directionality, experimentation, demand articulation, and policy coordination and learning. We relate challenges within the four domains to three generic features of innovation systems: interests and capabilities of actors, networks, and institutions. The derived framework is applied in a case study on the strategic innovation programmes, a recent policy initiative by Vinnova, Sweden's Innovation Agency, targeting system innovation.
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Grillitsch, Markus
(författare)
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Institutions, smart specialisation dynamics and policy
- 2016
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Ingår i: Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy. - 1472-3425. ; 34:1, s. 22-37
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Smart specialisation features prominently in the European regional policy context. This paper discusses how the configuration of the regional institutional framework affects smart specialisation dynamics and policy. It elaborates why and how institutional diversity and integration promote entrepreneurial discovery processes, spillovers and agglomeration effects, and thereby structural change in regions. Policy challenges arising from the regional institutional framework are identified, discussed and related to well-researched system failures of regional innovation systems.
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| 29. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Investigating agency: methodological and empirical challenges
- 2021
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Ingår i: Handbook on City and Regional Leadership. - : Edward Elgar Publishing. - 9781788979689 - 9781788979672 ; , s. 302-323
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The promise of connecting agency and structure in studies of regional development is to disentangle causal effects and to better understand to what extent and how individuals, groups of individuals, and organisations can shape regional trajectories. This is not without challenges because agency and structure are deep theoretical constructs, which are not easily translated into empirical research. We have devoted a research project to study how agency and structure are connected in the context of regional development and have faced many difficulties on the way. Here, we would like to share our experiences and proposed solutions grouped into seven challenges, which were present in all of the 12 comparative case studies in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The challenges refer to the ontology of agency and structure, the research design, the time period of study, the spatial scale, the research instrument, the data collection and analysis.
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| 30. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge base combinations and firm growth
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Research Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-7333. ; 48:1, s. 234-247
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The link between knowledge and firm growth has been a core topic in economics of innovation for a long time. However, despite strong theoretical arguments, empirical evidence remains inconclusive. One important reason for this conundrum may be the failure of standard indicators to capture firm innovation activities comprehensively. We contribute to overcoming this limitation by looking in the knowledge processes that drive variegated forms of innovation and aim thereby to establish a solid relationship with firm growth in more detail. Our arguments draw on the differentiated knowledge base approach, distinguishing between analytical, synthetic, and symbolic knowledge. We measure the three types of knowledge bases with detailed longitudinal linked-employer-employee micro-data from Sweden. Econometric findings based on a very large sample of small and medium-sized firms indicate significantly positive effects of the three knowledge types, and in particular combinations thereof, on firm growth. In addition, we show that not only high-growth but also slow-growth firms benefit immensely from the use of combinatory knowledge bases. We find evidence on a curvilinear relation between knowledge bases and growth of firms. Beyond certain thresholds increasing the knowledge bases further results in decreasing firm growth. Our results remain robust in a wide range of specifications and econometric models.
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| 31. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge Base Combinations and Innovation Performance in Swedish Regions
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Economic Geography. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1944-8287 .- 0013-0095. ; 93:5, s. 458-479
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The literature on geography of innovation suggests that innovation outcomes depend on a diversity of knowledge inputs, which can be captured with the differentiated knowledge base approach. While knowledge bases are distinct theoretical categories, existing studies stress that innovation often involves combinations of analytical, synthetic, and symbolic knowledge. It remains unclear, though, which combinations are most conducive to innovation at the level of the firm and how this is influenced by the knowledge bases available in the region. This article fills this gap by reviewing the conceptual arguments on how and why certain firm and regional knowledge base combinations relate to firm innovativeness and by investigating these relationships econometrically. The knowledge base is captured using detailed occupational data derived from linked employer–employee data sets merged at the firm level with information from Community Innovation Surveys in Sweden. The results indicate that analytical knowledge outweighs the importance of synthetic and symbolic knowledge and that, however, firms benefit most from being located in a region with a balanced mix of all three knowledge bases.
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| 32. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Knowledge externalities and firm heterogeneity: Effects on high and low growth firms
- 2019
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Ingår i: Papers in Regional Science. - : Wiley. - 1056-8190. ; 98:1, s. 93-114
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Knowledge externalities affect high and low growth firms differently. This paper develops two theoretical arguments. The knowledge equilibrium argument postulates that knowledge externalities weaken high growth firms for the benefit of low growth firms until performance differences vanish. The knowledge competition argument proposes that high growth firms are better positioned to identify, attract, and integrate knowledge, thereby expanding the performance gap between high and low growth firms. Based on 188,936 observations of 32,736 Swedish firms from 2004 to 2011, it is analysed whether knowledge externalities enable high growth firms to surge ahead or low growth firms to catch up.
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| 33. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Knowledge externalities and firm heterogeneity: Effects on high and low growth firms
- 2017
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Knowledge externalities affect high and low growth firms differently. The paper develops two theoretical arguments. The knowledge equilibrium argument postulates that knowledge externalities weaken high growth firms for the benefit of low growth firms until performance differences vanish. The knowledge competition argument claims that high growth firms are in a better position to identify, attract, and integrate knowledge, thereby benefiting more from knowledge externalities than low growth firms. Based on 188,936 observations of 32,736 Swedish firms from 2004 to 2011, it is analyzed whether knowledge centers enable high growth firms to surge ahead or low growth firms to catch up.
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| 34. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Municipalities’ role in regional development: Navigating subsidiarity, place-based approaches, and geographical variation.
- 2024
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Even though place is associated with the local, place-based policy approaches target the regional level of government. Addressing this conundrum, this paper focuses on the local level studying municipalities’ regional development work in different types of regions in three Nordic countries. Through a comparative study across regional and national contexts, the paper identifies the need to clarify the strategies of municipalities in place-based approaches. The results explain the uneven capabilities and structural constraints of municipalities impacting the viability of the subsidiarity principle bringing policy design and implementation closer to citizens.
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| 35. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Place-based innovation policy for industrial diversification in regions
- 2018
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Ingår i: European Planning Studies. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0965-4313 .- 1469-5944. ; 26:8, s. 1638-1662
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- New industrial innovation policies like smart specialization aim at boosting economic growth by diversification towards more complex and higher value economic activities. This paper proposes a conceptual and analytical framework to support the design and implementation of such policies considering place-specific preconditions, particularly the differentiation of the regional system of innovation and entrepreneurship and the degree of current industrial diversification. The paper expands on the links between these preconditions and the barriers and opportunities for industrial diversification. Consequently, it proposes an archetypical place-based policy framework covering overall policy objectives as well as measures at the level of actors, networks, and the institutional and organizational support structures.
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| 36. |
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| 37. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Revisiting the role of selection for the evolution of industries
- 2016
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Ingår i: Industry and Innovation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1366-2716 .- 1469-8390. ; 23:1, s. 112-129
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite a growing reliance on evolutionary theories when explaining industrial dynamics, the mechanism of selection has received limited attention. Selection is often taken for granted and conceptualised as product market competition. We go beyond this view and distinguish between different types of selection—formal and social—and consider how these lead to different entities being selected. Formal selection relies on codified selection criteria and often applies in selection environments where processes are standardised and institutions formalised. Social selection relies on reputation, referrals and previous interactions in order to evaluate intangible properties of the entities being selected. We argue that firms compete in multiple selection environments, not limited to product markets, that different selection environments may rely on different types of selection and that this has profound implications for industrial dynamics. This theoretical discussion is inspired by empirical observations of the medical technology industry in Sweden.
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| 38. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Technological competencies and firm performance: Analyzing the importance of internal and external competencies
- 2013
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this paper, we analyze the relationship between technological competencies (TC) and firm performance. Theoretically, the importance of TC is well established and widely accepted. Therefore, it is surprising that a number of empirical studies have been unable to confirm a substantial positive relationship between TC and firm performance. We identify two major reasons for this: [i] affected by the availability and choice of indicators existing studies are often biased towards large firms; and [ii] they frequently do not consider both internal and potential access to firm-external TC. This paper discusses conceptually the interplay between firm-internal and firm-external TC as well as the mediating effect of firm size. These relationships are then analyzed empirically using Swedish micro data on 15,682 firms in 290 Swedish municipalities. Novel indicators based on occupational statistics are combined with measures of time-distance accessibility to study internal and external TC. The results provide evidence for a positive relationship between firm growth and TC. In particular, the combination of firm-internal and firm-external competencies seems to be conducive for growth. Lastly, our study suggests that firm size is an important factor to further our understanding about these relationships. Based on this we identify a number of future research questions to be addressed.
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| 39. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Temporality of agency in regional development
- 2022
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Ingår i: European Urban and Regional Studies. - : SAGE Publications. - 0969-7764 .- 1461-7145. ; 29:1, s. 107-125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The temporality of agency plays a fundamental role in regional development but has received little attention in economic geography and regional studies. This paper zooms in on two aspects of temporality: the temporality of intentions and the temporality of consequences. The former refers to actors’ perception and valuation of opportunities in the near and distant future, whereas the latter refers to the short- and long-term consequences of actions. This paper studies the temporality of agency in the context of regional development. It investigates how short- and long-term intentions motivate different types of agency, how different types of agency affect short- and long-term regional development outcomes and which conditions enable or constrain different types of agency. We illustrate our arguments with an in-depth case study covering the regional development of a labour market in Norway over the last 20 years.
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| 40. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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The black box of regional growth
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Geographical Systems. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1435-5930 .- 1435-5949. ; :23, s. 425-464
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Regional growth models leave a large share of variation unexplained. While we should continuously aim to improve these models, the unique combination of conditions and human agency in each region will also invariably lead to region-specific growth trajectories. Theoretically, we should thus expect systematic deviations from growth predictions. We propose an approach to explore these unexplained deviations and to detect regions that perform unexpectedly well or badly in certain periods. We illustrate the approach using data for Sweden from 1990 to 2016. We find systematic patterns of unexplained periodic regional growth deviations outweighing the effect of generic structural factors.
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| 41. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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The role of initial and gradual trust in growing and unlocking regional industrial specialisations
- 2022
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Ingår i: Industry and Innovation. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1366-2716 .- 1469-8390. ; 29:7, s. 825-846
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Regional development is a dynamic process where relatively stable periods are interrupted by phases of more rapid transformation and disruption. Such dynamics are heavily influenced by the scope and nature of knowledge networks. Trust is a key mechanism influencing the mobilisation of networks for learning and innovation and thereby an important factor for understanding regional development. This paper sets out to unpack the role of initial and gradual trust in regional development by advancing a differentiated view that sheds light on why, when, and how trust affects regional development dynamics in a positive or negative way. Avenues for future research are identified.
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| 42. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Towards regenerative regional development in responsible value chains : an agentic response to recent crises
-
Ingår i: European Planning Studies. - 0965-4313.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, we empirically and theoretically present regenerative regional development in responsible value chains as an alternative to the prevailing traditional, neoliberal economic rationale of globalization. We develop the argument on the back of a longitudinal in-depth case study on actors’ engagement in the recurring crises in the maritime industry in Sunnmøre/Norway. The alternative perspective is an agentic response from the business community in the wake of recent crises. It builds on advanced manufacturing capabilities, automation and precision technologies, which promise local economic regeneration while reducing the reliance on low-cost labour, substantially cuts emissions through reduced long-haul transport, use of green energy and more energy-efficient production processes. To succeed, however, it calls for policies that promote the building of local capabilities and penalize practices causing environmental and social harm in global value chains, making it possible to move towards responsible and shorter value chains.
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| 43. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Transformative innovation policy : A novel approach?
- 2021
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Ingår i: Handbook on Alternative Theories of Innovation. - 9781789902297 - 9781789902303 ; , s. 276-291
-
Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The focus and instruments of innovation policy have changed fundamentally over the last decades. Recently transformative innovative policy has caught the attention of scholars and policymakers, who argue that this is a new shift in the policy discourse. Even though grand challenges such as global warming and migration flows, as well as technological change such as artificial intelligence and industry 4.0 have fired the debate on transformative innovation policies in recent years, it has a long history - even going back to Schumpeter. This book chapter unfolds the historical and conceptual roots of transformative innovation policy, compares critically the different strands of literature, and discusses important questions for future research.
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| 44. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Trinity of change agency, regional development paths and opportunity spaces
- 2020
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Ingår i: Progress in Human Geography. - : SAGE Publications. - 0309-1325 .- 1477-0288. ; 44:4, s. 704-723
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The study of regional growth paths is a key theme in economic geography and of elemental interest for regional development. This paper addresses the interplay between path-dependent, structural forces and the construction and utilization of opportunities through agentic processes. Extending the evolutionary framework, it is argued that not only history but also perceived futures influence agentic processes in the present and thus shape regional development paths. The paper discusses the relevance and interdependencies of three types of agency with distinct theoretical roots, namely Schumpeterian innovative entrepreneurship, institutional entrepreneurship and place-based leadership, as main drivers of regional structural change.
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| 45. |
- Grillitsch, Markus
(författare)
-
Types of innovation, competencies of firms and external knowledge sourcing - Findings from selected sectors and regions of Europe
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of the Knowledge Economy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1868-7865 .- 1868-7873. ; 5:2, s. 330-330
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many innovation studies have focused on a narrow concept of technological innovation, such as the generation of patents or the introduction of new products. The performance of firms, however, often depends on innovation defined from a broader perspective. This includes process, organizational, and market innovations as was pointed out already by Schumpeter and more recently by other scholars and the OECD. Still underexplored, however, are the questions on what kinds of knowledge sources such different types of innovations rely and which spatial levels (regional, national, and international) are most relevant for acquiring knowledge. Also, sector and regional contexts are argued to matter for knowledge sourcing and innovation. Drawing on the concepts of knowledge bases and innovation systems, we investigate these relationships by analyzing evidence from seven European countries regarding patterns of knowledge sourcing and their relation to innovation. Based on a multivariate model, we are able to show that product, process, strategic, and organizational innovations rely on partly similar, partly different types, and sources of knowledge reaching from regional to global levels. We also found evidence that sector contexts and the institutional characteristics of regions and countries matter.
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| 46. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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Unrelated knowledge combinations : The unexplored potential for regional industrial path development
- 2018
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Ingår i: Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1752-1378 .- 1752-1386. ; 11:2, s. 257-274
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The article engages in a critical discussion of the related variety/regional branching argument and foregrounds a more differentiated perspective on regional industrial path development. It contributes by (i) sharpening the definition of key concepts, namely specialisation and diversity, related and unrelated variety; (ii) discussing their relevance in local and nonlocal spaces; (iii) scrutinizing related variety as the source for regional branching; and (iv) developing a conceptual framework capturing the opportunity space for regional structural change that unveils the relevance of path upgrading, path importation, path branching, path diversification and new path creation as different forms of new path development.
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| 47. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
-
Variety in knowledge sourcing, geography and innovation: Evidence from the ICT sector in Austria
- 2015
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Ingår i: Papers in Regional Science. - 1435-5957. ; 94:1, s. 25-25
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It has been argued that innovation increasingly depends on external knowledge sources. It is still unclear if relations to particular knowledge sources or to a broad variety of sources matter for innovation. Also, there is a debate on the issue which spatial levels are most relevant. In this context, we investigate the importance for ICT firms in Austria of variety in knowledge sourcing for their innovativeness and the relevance of geography in this respect. The results show that more innovative firms tend to exploit a larger variety of regional and international sources. We also find that R&D co-operations and in-house knowledge capabilities are highly important, while firm location only shows a weak association with their innovativeness.
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| 48. |
- Grillitsch, Markus, et al.
(författare)
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When drivers of clusters shift scale from local towards global : What remains for regional innovation policy?
- 2019
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Ingår i: Geoforum. - : Elsevier BV. - 0016-7185. ; 102, s. 57-68
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Industries and regional economies evolve as a result of the interplay between local and non-local factors. Increasing globalization of both production- and innovation activities implies a shift in the relevant scales of interaction from the local towards the global level. This paper is concerned with the implications of such scale shifts for the role of the region and for cluster-related regional policies. It examines what is left of the role of regional settings in fostering economic development when extra-regional drivers of change increase in importance. We investigate this crucial question with two in-depth case studies of the medical technologies sector, in which such scale shifts have been particularly pronounced. Our findings from empirical material collected in Scania/Sweden and Vienna/Austria illustrate the ways in which changes in national and supra-national regulatory frameworks have had a profound impact on the innovation activities of individual firms and the way to develop and launch new products, and subsequently on the regions in which they cluster. Such scale-shifts have, on the one hand, limited the potential for regional policy to shape the cluster's path through support for supply-side factors. Yet some critical assets remain local but are increasingly difficult to access. By addressing such barriers to access, regional policy can still strongly affect the opportunities for innovation. Furthermore, in an increasingly open industry system, we see an expanded role for regional policy in supporting firms to access critical assets and sources of innovation found external to the region.
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| 49. |
- Görmar, Franziska, et al.
(författare)
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Power relations and local agency: a comparative study of European mining towns
- 2023
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Ingår i: Urban Research & Practice. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1753-5069 .- 1753-5077. ; 16:4, s. 558-581
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Local agency is marked by its structural boundedness including nation state strategies. We investigate the dynamic and mutually constitutive interrelationship between agency and state strategies to better understand and explain change in local development with the examples of four mining towns: Kiruna (Sweden), Zeitz (Germany), Most (Czechia) and Tatabánya (Hungary). They embody processes of industrial transition and mining activities that are heavily regulated by (supra-) national authorities and marked by constantly changing multiscalar power relations. We find local agency is constrained by rather specific relations and can be facilitated by more complementary ones, both on local level and between different scales
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| 50. |
- Jolly, Suyash, et al.
(författare)
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Agency and actors in regional industrial path development. A framework and longitudinal analysis
- 2020
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Ingår i: Geoforum. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-9398 .- 0016-7185. ; 111:May 2020, s. 176-188
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite significant interest in regional industrial restructuring in economic geography, surprisingly, scarce attention has been paid to the changing role of agency over time. The current paper develops a framework for understanding the role of multiple types of actors and the agency they exercise for regional industrial path development. The framework is employed in a longitudinal study of industry development in Värmland, Sweden, from forestry towards a bio-economy. The analysis highlights how actors exercise very different types of agency in different periods of regional industrial path development.
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