The uncertainty in regional innovation policy: some ration-ales and tools for learning in policy making

This paper deals with two major dilemmas in regional innovation policy making: The dilemma that theory does not provide sufficient answers for the formulation of specific innovation policy measures addressing the problem configurations of single regions and the dilemma that role models are used as a substitute for orientation. In order to support policy learning, different approaches like evaluation, the development of innovation strategies and regional foresight are discussed. --

The regionalisation of innovation policy in Germany: theoretical foundations and recent experience

In recent years, not only has the network paradigm become the starting-point for policy measures aiming at a better exploitation of innovation potentials, but also the region, i.e. sub-national spatial entities, has been made an important platform for innovation policy implementation by national governments. Specifically, the cluster concept and other theoretical approaches of the new economic geography contributed to the popularisation of regional development concepts. A substantial feature of this focus on the region is that measures, which have so far had a national orientation (and for those the question about the distribution of innovative potentials in space was not or was only implicitly raised), have to be adapted to the specific structures and potential of individual regions. However, not every region in a country can develop into a high-tech island equipped with leading-edge technology, industry and research. For many regions and their economic actors, the only development option is to carry out supplementary functions for other regions, clusters and economic activities or to focus on the exploitation of endogenous potential and strengths. ... --

The regional embeddedness of small manufacturing and service firms: regional networking as knowledge source for innovation?

Information and knowledge are important prerequisites for innovation activity in firms. One important means of acquiring coplementary knowledge are innovation networks. Depending on their absortive capacity and knowledge base, firms develop different abilities to access and utilise external knowledge. These abilities might also be linked to firm size. Although size as such is not a decisive criterion for distinguishing between the innovative performance of firms, it can at least be used to classify firms according to common structural characteristics. It is objective of this paper to analyse whether the size of a firm significantly affects its innovative behaviour and cooperation pattern and whether there are differences between manufacturing firms and business-related service firms. Using data from a regional innovation survey carried out in Germany, we come to the conclusion that for structural firm characteristics, innovation strategies, information use and innovation network size matters. Small manufacturing and service firms mainly behave similar and are more regionally orientated in their market reach and knowledge acquisition than large firms- Especially small firms in intermediate and rural areas strongly depend on regionally available knowledge sources and are therefore discriminated compared to large firms which make a more frequent use of knowledge and information sources from outside the region. --

The changing role of universities in the German research system: engagement in regional networks, clusters and beyond

In Germany, but in other countries as well, a trend towards a regionalisation in technology and innovation policy is clearly evident. This triggers the expectation towards universities to establish regional ties and networks and to exploit the advantages of spatial proximity to other research institutes, to industry and to policy and regional administration. It is the objective of this paper to analyse the changing role of universities as driving force in the development of new modes and models of collaboration both with industry and with other research organisations. Starting from the triple-helix and the entrepreneurial university approach, the role of universities in regional research and innovation policy will be discussed. On this background, three case studies will be presented in order to illustrate how German universities deal with the expectations of a stronger regional integration and embeddedness. --university governance,research policy,regional collaboration,new modes of cooperation,public-private partnerships

Cohesion policy at the interface between regional development and the promotion of innovation

Taking the implications of the cohesion policy framework for innovation governance as a starting point, it is the objective of this paper to discuss challenges for regional policy making with regard to a policy mix that is new to regional policy makers. Based on two German regions representing convergence and competitive and employment regions it will be discussed how regional policy makers can deal with this new policy approach and what could be appropriate strategies, programmes and learning tools. What can be seen from both the Bavarian and the Saxon case study is that the two regions apply a broad mix of different innovation policy measures, supporting all innovation policy tasks with relevance to regional development. In both regions innovation policy is not a new task, but Saxony as well as Bavaria can look back to a quite long tradition in the im-plementation of this policy. Differences exist with regard to policy learning in a way that due the longer innovation policy experiences of Bavaria more sophisticated structures and activities can be found in this federal state. --

On the significance of geographical proximity for the structure and development of newly founded knowledge-intensive business service firms

A key feature of the knowledge-based economy is a remarkable increase in the number, foundation rates, and employees of knowledge-intensive business service firms (KIBS). KIBS are knowledge-intensive, in the sense that they are founded upon highly specialised knowledge. Based on the assumption, that knowledge and knowledge-organisation is tied to personal capabilities and information, spatial "proximity" to knowledge-providers and –users appears to be crucial in the development- and growth-process of KIBS. The idea, that a region matters to foundation activities primarily derives from a resource-based view. Different regional environments (e.g. configurations of incubator and intermediate organisations, regional "entrepreneurial social infrastructure") and the foundation pattern of KIBS are obviously interrelated. In addition to environmental factors affecting the development or growth of newly founded KIBS, factors related to the entrepreneur of KIBS as well as factors related to characteristics of the KIBS-firms have to be taken into consideration. Based upon a survey with founders of KIBS firms in three German regions, a selection of indicators will be used as determinants for new KIBS growth. Comparing the successful KIBS start-ups with those showing an employment decrease in the relevant time period, it has to be emphasized, that KIBS with employment in-crease are co-operating with other firms and institutions on all spatial levels, regardless of the function of the partner-firms for the KIBS activities. Keywords: KIBS – Region - Spatial proximity – Growth

On the significance of geographical proximity for the structure and development of newly founded knowledge-intensive business service firms

A key feature of the knowledge-based economy is a remarkable increase in the number, foundation rates, and employees of knowledge-intensive business service firms (KIBS). KIBS are knowledge-intensive, in the sense that they are founded upon highly specialised knowledge. Based on the assumption that knowledge and knowledge organisation are tied to personal capabilities and information, spatial proximity to knowledge-providers and users appears to be crucial in the development and growth process of KIBS. The idea that the region affects foundation activities primarily derives from a resource-based view. Different regional environments (e.g. configurations of incubator and intermediate organisations, regional entrepreneurial social infrastructure) and the foundation pattern of KIBS are obviously interrelated. In addition to environmental factors affecting the development or growth of newly founded KIBS, factors related to the entrepreneur of KIBS and to characteristics of the KIBS firms have to be taken into consideration. Based upon a survey with founders of KIBS firms in three German regions, a selection of indicators will be used as determinants for new KIBS growth. Comparing the successful KIBS start-ups with those showing an employment decrease in the relevant time period, it has to be emphasized that KIBS with employment increase co-operate with other firms and institutions on all spatial levels, regardless of the function of the partner firms for the KIBS activities. --KIBS,Region,Spatial proximity,Growth

Multi-actor regional governance: regions as new players for innovation in Europe

In recent years, new regionally based strategy building processes emerged at the interface between public policy and the social coordination of collective action. Foresight as a governance process for stimulating regional innovation and for strengthening the regional economic system against global competition became a popular concept. Based on the experiences of a strategy building process in the Italian autonomous province of Trento, it is the objective of the paper to sketch recent theoretical and political developments regarding multi-actor and multi-level governance and policy concepts at the regional level.

Methodological framework for cluster analyses

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Cohesion policy in the light of place-based innovation support: New approaches in multi-actors, decentralised regional settings with bottom-up strategies?

According to the Barca report and the OECD, the place-based development approach is a new paradigm of regional policy. It underlines the necessity to distribute policy design and implementation among different policy levels in order to tailor policy measures to the specific local conditions. Place-based initiatives inherit a strong bottom-up element in public governance. Taking the innovation orientation in European cohesion policy as a starting point, it is the objective of this paper to analyse whether the recent implementation of structural and cohesion policy shows indications for place-based policy designs and governance. Germany is used as a case study, because it can be expected that in federal systems multi-level and bottom-up policy structures are already strongly evident. The major question the paper seeks to answer is whether the recent experiences from German cohesion policy formulation and implementation allow to identify starting points for the future design of European cohesion policy. --place-based approach,cohesion policy,multi-level governance,innovation policy,Germany