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Old Industrial Regions, Technology, and Innovation: Tensions of Obduracy and Transformation

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  • Mike Hodson

    (Centre for Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures (SURF), University of Salford, Cube Building, 113-115 Portland Street, Manchester M1 6DW, England)

Abstract

Work on regions and technologically informed innovation has often focused on high-tech regions as exemplars of apparent success in economic development. This paper, by contrast, focuses on understanding how regions transform themselves in respect of pervasive pressures, in relation to old industrial regions. In particular, the possible tensions between pressures for transformation and the potential obduracy of social, cultural, and institutional interrelationships are highlighted by reflection on the broad body of work termed the ‘new regionalism’. Four issues are raised and then are integrated to develop an approach to researching the tensions between pressures for transformation and the obduracy of old industrial regions. The paper examines a case study of the early stages of a particular technologically informed innovation—a hydrogen economy development—in an old industrial ‘region’: Teesside in northeast England. After consideration of this case study I highlight four important issues in the conclusion that are raised during exploration of tensions of obduracy and transformation in an old industrial region.

Suggested Citation

  • Mike Hodson, 2008. "Old Industrial Regions, Technology, and Innovation: Tensions of Obduracy and Transformation," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 40(5), pages 1057-1075, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:40:y:2008:i:5:p:1057-1075
    DOI: 10.1068/a39103
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Rehák Štefan & Hudec Oto & Buček Milan, 2013. "Path dependency and path plasticity in emerging industries: Two cases from Slovakia," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 57(1-2), pages 52-66, October.
    2. Emanuele Lazzarini & Paolo Nardi, 2015. "A model of urban ecological security in ordinary cities: evidences from the Milan case," ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2015(1), pages 29-41.
    3. Robert Hassink, 2010. "Locked in Decline? On the Role of Regional Lock-ins in Old Industrial Areas," Chapters, in: Ron Boschma & Ron Martin (ed.), The Handbook of Evolutionary Economic Geography, chapter 21, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Anne Nygaard Tanner, 2014. "Regional Branching Reconsidered: Emergence of the Fuel Cell Industry in European Regions," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 90(4), pages 403-427, October.
    5. Broto, Vanesa Castán, 2017. "Energy landscapes and urban trajectories towards sustainability," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 755-764.

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