“Geography of talent and regional differences in Spain”

Tentative empirical evidence suggests that the agglomeration of talent contributes to regional development. However, given that talented people are not evenly distributed across regions, this paper seeks to determine how the concentration of talent affects patterns of regional development. Here, we empirically evaluate the effects of the distribution of talent on regional differences by means of a detailed analysis of the 17 Autonomous Communities of Spain between 1996 and 2004. We hypothesise that regions specialising in strategic sectors that are creative and which can be assumed to enjoy rapid growth in productivity will experience faster rates of development and, in turn, that this concentration of talent will have a positive impact on the region’s economic performance. Thus, we believe that this mechanism can explain the marked regional imbalances in Spain. Our findings confirm that regional differences, measured in terms of GDP per capita and by, - industrial and service- oriented production, are influenced by the Communities’ talent bases as determined by, educational attainment and employment in assumed to be strategic for regional development, inasmuch as these sectors provide economic specialization.Talent, Regional differences, Panel data, Spain. JEL classification: C33, O18, R11, J24.

Information Guide: Spain. February 2017

A guide to information sources on the Kingdom of Spain, with hyperlinks to information within European Sources Online and on external websites (For other language versions of this record click on the original url

How are Spanish academics coping with changes? Responses from a life histories research.

Podeu consultar la versió en català a: http://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/handle/2445/20983[eng] This report is part of the research project, The effects of social changes in work and professional life of Spanish academics, partially financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SEJ2006-01876), that has explored change in legislation, organisation, research schemes and so on, in the last thirty years. The main aim of this project is deepening our understanding of the impact of undergoing economic, social, cultural, technological and labour change in Spanish universities in the life and professional identity of the teaching and research staff, taking into account the national and european context. This paper gathers part of the results gained from the project, being its primary objective to contribute to an improved knowledge-base on professional knowledge and work experience in higher education institutions in Spain and, as a consequence, to understand how Spanish academics are coping with current changes.[spa] Este documento forma parte de la investigación, Los efectos de los cambios sociales en el trabajo y la vida profesional de los docentes universitarios, parcialmente financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SEJ2006-01876), en el que hemos explorado los cambios en la legislación, la organización, los contextos de la investigación y la docencia, etc., en los últimos treinta años. El principal objetivo de este documento es profundizar en nuestra comprensión sobre el impacto del cambio económico, social, cultural, tecnológico y laboral que están experimentando las universidades españolas en la vida y la identidad profesional del personal docente e investigador, teniendo en cuenta el contexto nacional y europeo. Este trabajo recoge parte de los resultados obtenidos en el proyecto, siendo su principal objetivo contribuir a mejorar el conocimiento basado en la investigación sobre el saber profesional y la experiencia laboral en las universidades españolas, y en consecuencia, favorecer nuestra comprensión sobre cómo los académicos se están enfrentando con los cambios actuales.[cat] Aquest document forma part de la investigació, Els efectes dels canvis socials en el treball i la vida professional dels docents universitaris, parcialment finançat pel Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació (SEJ2006-01876), on hem explorat els canvis de la legislació, l'organització, els contextos d'investigació i docència etc., durant els darrers trenta anys. El principal objectiu d'aquest document és aprofundir en la comprensió de l'impacte del canvi econòmic, social, cultural, tecnològic i laboral que s'està experimentant a les universitats espanyoles en la vida i en la identitat professional de les persones docents i investigadores, tenint en compte el context nacional i europeu. Aquest treball recull part dels resultats obtinguts en el projecte, essent el seu principal objectiu contribuir a la millora del coneixement basat en la investigació sobre el saber professional i l'experiència laboral a les universitats espanyoles, i conseqüentment, afavorir la comprensió sobre com els acadèmics estan encarant els actuals canvis

Knowledge Transfer in the Mirror: Reflections on the Determinants of Research Groups and Companies Collaborative Patterns within Andalusia's Regional Innovation System

Knowledge transfer is a crucial aspect for the new paradigm of science-industry cooperation. The new role of universities and the relevance of external knowledge to firm's competitiveness brought a huge attention to this process both in analytical and decision-making terms. Commonly, formal mechanisms as intellectual property rights licensing, research contracts and spinning-off are the focus of the policy interventions and studies but the role of informality is being underlined by several recent research results. This article explores the crucial factors that induce science and industry collaborations in Andalusia, a catching-up region in Spanish and European context. The study uses limited dependent and count data regression analysis based in a survey applied in parallel to research groups and firms. The estimated regressions create a mirror image between these two institutional spheres stressing aspects that are more relevant in each reality to stimulate the existence, number, diversity and informality of knowledge transfer. The results give relevant insights for policies to stimulate knowledge transfer in technology moderate intensive South European regions.

The transregional innovation processes - the key challenge for the trans borders regions

The competitiveness of regions it is strong linked with innovation dynamics. This dynamics requires the involvement of different actors of the territory, namely, the set of actors with capacity and power to influence the territorial activities: the governance system. Thus, the vigorous attitude and participation of the firms and of institutional associative actors on innovation pressure the innovative performance of the territory. Hence, the aim of this paper is analyse the process of innovation in a transterritorial view and illustrate a perspective of innovation that reflect the better performance innovative of the territory depends of different characteristics of the milieu and evaluate the important conditions for dynamics of innovation. We use the results of survey applied to a vast set of firms and institutional/associative actors for distinguish profiles of involvement in innovation activities and for analyse and perceive which attributes or variables of territory are related with the best performance on innovation. The study looks at five sub regions of the transborder region of central region Portuguese and Spanish: Raia Central Ibérica (three Portuguese and two Spanish).

Vocational continuing training in Spain: contribution to the challenge of industry 4.0 and structural unemployment

Purpose: To diagnose the situation of vocational continuing training in Spain and propose improvements to its management to reduce the structural unemployment rate, taking into account the effects of Industry 4.0 and COVID-19. Design/methodology: Study of the background and current context of vocational continuing training and Industry 4.0 in Spain based on a review of previous academic literature, legislative developments in education and training, and various reports from public and private institutions on productivity and employment. Findings: Definition of eight challenges and lines of action related to completing the implementation of Industry 4.0 and adopting coordinated policies to develop VCT, improving the governance of the FCP by the public administration, promoting training in work and vocational training and guidance for the unemployed, meeting business recruitment needs, promoting business–university relationships, and reducing unemployment. Practical implications: Adapting vocational continuing training to economic sectors where there is more demand for employment and to regions where there is more structural unemployment can contribute to the overall reduction of structural unemployment in Spain. These decreases could have immediate consequences for those who become employed and allow a quicker recovery in future economic crises. Originality/value: This study, despite the scarce empirical evidence that exists about Spanish vocational continuing training, provides a vision of the four areas in which it is developed professional training, postgraduate training, on-the-job training, and training for the unemployed to provide thirty proposals that, through education and training, promote the competitiveness of the Spanish economy and permanent employmen