Knowledge space oddity: How to increase the intensity and relevance of the technological progress of European regions

This work contributes to previous research on the relationship between specific features of a regional knowledge space and the technological progress of the region. In particular, the main element of originality of this work is to have singled out the determinants of the technological progress intensity and relevance. We acknowledge the importance of knowledge assets for new knowledge production, and we identify path-dependent processes that allow a region to become increasingly competitive in terms of innovation potential. In particular, adopting an evolutionary view of regional development, we describe the regional knowledge space through four crucial characteristics: 1) technological knowledge base, 2) technological cumulativeness, 3) technological diversification , and 4) technological relatedness. We then measure to what extent each of the knowledge space's characteristics differently affects the technological progress intensity and relevance of the region. A longitudinal study of 269 European regions over the period 1996-2012 was organized using data from REGPAT and Eurostat databases. Results show that technological relatedness affects positively both the intensity and relevance of the technological progress of European regions and that the other components of the knowledge space show a different impact on the two features of the technological progress. Finally, implications for EU policies supporting and stimulating regional technological progress are discussed

Performance e crescita dei sistemi produttivi locali italiani tra rispecializzazioni, divisione cognitiva del lavoro ed ecologie del valore.

Molteplici studi nazionali e internazionali confermano che l\u2019economia distrettuale ha mostrato performances fondamentali per la crescita e lo sviluppo del nostro Paese. Non tutte queste aree tuttavia, sono cresciute nel tempo allo stesso modo. Questo contributo tenta di sistematizzare alcune prime evidenze sulla sostenibilit\ue0 e resilienza dell\u2019economia dei sistemi produttivi locali in un orizzonte temporale che abbraccia quasi l\u2019intero secondo dopoguerra. Formuleremo una ricostruzione tassonomica delle varie forme evolutive che si sono succedute nel tempo e proporremo una \u201ctopologizzazione\u201d utile a identificare casi rappresentativi dai quali fare derivare specifiche tipologie di local industrial policy atte a sostenere la competitivit\ue0 di questi sistemi

Out of the crisis: an empirical investigation of place-specific determinants of economic resilience

This article attempts to isolate the structural characteristics that affect the resilience of a regional economy. It focuses on the role played by related/unrelated variety and differentiated knowledge bases as drivers for regional resilience and originally explores their interdependences. Italy is the empirical setting, and Italian local labour systems the unit of analysis. Regional resilience is measured as growth of the employment rate after the Great Recession that began in 2008. Results confirm the importance of related variety and of differentiated knowledge bases as drivers for regional resilience. We found support of the creative capacity of culture argument, providing evidence that a moderate concentration in symbolic knowledge-based economic activities contributes to resilience. Synthetic and analytical knowledge-based activities provide positive and no support to regional resilience, respectively. Finally, the relatedness of the symbolic knowledge-based activities increases regional economic resilience. Some policy implications are then derived from these findings

How do related variety and differentiated knowledge base s influence the resilience of local production systems?

This contribution attempts to systematize some first evidence on the sustainability and resilience of local production systems in the economic recession and first hypothetical phases of recovery, 2007 to 2011, focusing on the role played by diversified economy, related and unrelated variety and differentiated knowledge bases, as drivers for territorial competitiveness under unfavourable economic conditions. The results confirm the importance of related variety to growth and stability during recessions and support the creative capacity of culture, providing evidence that a moderate concentration in cultural/creative economic activities contributes to resilience and that industrial districts and international development play a positive rol

Efficacy of educational intervention to improve awareness of the importance of iodine, use of iodized salt, and dietary iodine intake in northeastern Italian schoolchildren

OBJECTIVE: An educational program was conducted among school-aged children to improve their knowledge about iodine prophylaxis, their iodine status, and their dietary habits. METHODS: At the baseline (T0) and after 6\u2009mo (T1), participants (970 at T0 and 949 at T1) answered questionnaires testing their knowledge about iodine prophylaxis and their eating habits. Urine samples were collected from a randomly selected subgroup of participants (313 at T0 and 312 at T1). RESULTS: From T0 to T1 there was a significant improvement in respondents' knowledge about iodine prophylaxis (from 44% to 70%), iodized salt consumption (from 78% to 84%), and median urine iodine concentrations (from 70\u2009\ub5g/L to 91\u2009\ub5g/L). Milk and iodized salt intakes were associated with a better iodine status per se, and more so when used simultaneously. Girls drank milk less often than boys did (daily in 52% and 59% of cases, respectively). Children of foreign origin ate sodium-rich food more often than Italians did. CONCLUSION: Educational intervention improved the children's knowledge about iodine prophylaxis and use of iodized salt. Consuming salt in addition to milk improves iodine status. Children of foreign origin have different eating habits