Face-to-Face, Buzz and Knowledge Bases: Socio-Spatial Implications for Learning, Innovation and Innovation Policy

Asheim, BjörnLund University,Lunds universitet,Institutionen för kulturgeografi och ekonomisk geografi,Samhällsvetenskapliga institutioner och centrumbildningar,Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten,CIRCLE,Institutionen för designvetenskaper,Institutioner vid LTH,Lunds Tekniska Högskola,Department of Human Geography,Departments of Administrative, Economic and Social Sciences,Faculty of Social Sciences,Department of Design Sciences,Departments at LTH,Faculty of Engineering, LTH (author)

Whilst concurring with the new streams of literature in geography that highlight the importance of face-to-face and ‘buzz’ in the globalizing learning economy, we argue that this literature is misleading on three interrelated counts. Firstly, it conflates face-to-face and buzz; secondly, it fails to distinguish between the importance of face-to-face and buzz for industries drawing on different knowledge bases; and, thirdly, these conceptual inadequacies lead to an exaggeration of the importance of cities as sites for creativity and innovation, and hence regional competitiveness. By applying an industrial knowledge base approach, we seek to reconstruct an alternative framework that allows for a systematic differentiation between the importance of face-to-face and buzz for different industries. This provides a framework for developing a more nuanced understanding of the spatial implications of face-to-face communication and buzz for learning and innovation.

Coenen, LarsLund University,Lunds universitet,Institutionen för kulturgeografi och ekonomisk geografi,Samhällsvetenskapliga institutioner och centrumbildningar,Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten,CIRCLE,Institutionen för designvetenskaper,Institutioner vid LTH,Lunds Tekniska Högskola,Department of Human Geography,Departments of Administrative, Economic and Social Sciences,Faculty of Social Sciences,Department of Design Sciences,Departments at LTH,Faculty of Engineering, LTH(Swepub:lu)kule-lco (author)
Vang-Lauridsen, JanLund University,Lunds universitet,Institutionen för kulturgeografi och ekonomisk geografi,Samhällsvetenskapliga institutioner och centrumbildningar,Samhällsvetenskapliga fakulteten,CIRCLE,Institutionen för designvetenskaper,Institutioner vid LTH,Lunds Tekniska Högskola,Department of Human Geography,Departments of Administrative, Economic and Social Sciences,Faculty of Social Sciences,Department of Design Sciences,Departments at LTH,Faculty of Engineering, LTH(Swepub:lu)circ-jva (author)
Institutionen för kulturgeografi och ekonomisk geografiSamhällsvetenskapliga institutioner och centrumbildningar (creator_code:org_t)

In:Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy: SAGE Publications25:5, s. 655-6701472-34250263-774X

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SOCIAL SCIENCES: SOCIAL SCIENCES; and Other Social Sci ...; and Social Sciences ...

SOCIAL SCIENCES: SOCIAL SCIENCES; and Social and Econo ...; and Human Geography

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