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Spatial and Sectoral Characteristics of Relational Capital in Innovation Activity

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  • Roberta Capello

Abstract

The paper presents prima facie evidence of the role of relational capital in innovation activities, and underlines the spatial and sectoral difference of the effects of relational capital on innovation processes. Relational cpaital is defined in this paper as the stock of relations that a firm can entertain with other firms, institutions, research centres, measured through the intensity of cooperation among local actors. The paper is structured in two parts. In the first part, a review on the literature is presented, and the similarities and differences between the concept of relational capital and the more common concept of knowledge spillovers is underlined. In the second part, the empirical results of the analysis are presented; the empirical analysis is based on a database of 133 firms' observations, located in different geographical areas. With a quantitative approach, the paper replies to the following key questions: Is relational capital a determinant for innovation activities? If it is so, does it have the same role in urban and non-urban areas? Does it have a different role in specialized and despecialized areas? The empirical results to these questions help in understanding whether it is true that competitive city regions in the global economy are the major locations for relatively exclusive knowledge and learning resources. The paper shows that if relational capital plays a role in innovation activities, it may very well be that its role strongly depends on the sectoral as well as the spatial characteristics in which the innovation process takes place. Non-urban areas characterized by strong local synergies and highly specialized activities may even be more facilitated in their inovation activity.

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  • Roberta Capello, 2002. "Spatial and Sectoral Characteristics of Relational Capital in Innovation Activity," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(2), pages 177-200, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurpls:v:10:y:2002:i:2:p:177-200
    DOI: 10.1080/09654310120114481
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    1. Roberta Rabellotti, 1997. "External Economies and Cooperation in Industrial Districts," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-25794-2, October.
    2. Jaffe, Adam B, 1989. "Real Effects of Academic Research," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(5), pages 957-970, December.
    3. Roberta Rabellotti, 1997. "External Economies and Cooperation in Italy and Mexico," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: External Economies and Cooperation in Industrial Districts, chapter 7, pages 133-165, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    1. Hans Westlund & Elin Nilsson, 2005. "Measuring enterprises' investments in social capital: A pilot study," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(8), pages 1079-1094.
    2. Rosalia Castellano & Gaetano Musella & Gennaro Punzo, 2023. "Does context matter? Exploring the effects of productive structures on the relationship between innovation and workforce skills’ complementarity," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 1991-2011, June.
    3. Beaudry, Catherine & Schiffauerova, Andrea, 2009. "Who's right, Marshall or Jacobs? The localization versus urbanization debate," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 318-337, March.
    4. repec:elg:eechap:14395_24 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Stig-Erik Jakobsen & Knut Onsager, 2005. "Head Office Location: Agglomeration, Clusters or Flow Nodes?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 42(9), pages 1517-1535, August.
    6. Evgeniia Kuminova & Anna Bykova, 2014. "Did relational capital matter during the financial crisis?," International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 11(4), pages 286-305.
    7. Laura de Dominicis & Raymond J.G.M. Florax & Henri L.F. de Groot, 2013. "Regional clusters of innovative activity in Europe: are social capital and geographical proximity key determinants?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(17), pages 2325-2335, June.
    8. Kate Mclaughlin & Stephen P. Osborne & Celine Chew, 2009. "Relationship marketing, relational capital and the future of marketing in public service organizations," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(1), pages 35-42, January.
    9. Wahyu Widodo & Ruhul Salim & Harry Bloch, 2015. "The effects of agglomeration economies on technical efficiency of manufacturing firms: evidence from Indonesia," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(31), pages 3258-3275, July.
    10. José Antonio Belso-Martínez & F. Xavier Molina-Morales, 2011. "The drivers of the open district development: a social capital approach," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(2), pages 49-70, June.
    11. F. Xavier Molina-Morales & Josep Capó-Vicedo & M. Teresa Martínez-Fernández & Manuel Expósito-Langa, 2013. "Social capital in industrial districts: Influence of the strength of ties and density of the network on the sense of belonging to the district," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 92(4), pages 773-789, November.
    12. Joshua Drucker, 2009. "Trends in Regional Industrial Concentration in the United States," Working Papers 09-06, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    13. Mary M. Crossan & Marina Apaydin, 2010. "A Multi‐Dimensional Framework of Organizational Innovation: A Systematic Review of the Literature," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(6), pages 1154-1191, September.
    14. Giovanni Perucca, 2013. "Aredefinition of italian macro-areas: the role of territorial capital," RIVISTA DI ECONOMIA E STATISTICA DEL TERRITORIO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(2), pages 37-65.
    15. David Morris & Enrico Vanino & Carlo Corradini, 2020. "Effect of regional skill gaps and skill shortages on firm productivity," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 52(5), pages 933-952, August.
    16. Blum, Ulrich & Brachert, Matthias & Brautzsch, Hans-Ulrich & Brenke, Karl & Buscher, Herbert & Dietrich, Diemo & Dürig, Wolfgang & Franz, Peter & Günther, Jutta & Haug, Peter & Kauffmann, Albrecht & K, 2011. "Wirtschaftlicher Stand und Perspektiven für Ostdeutschland: Studie im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums des Innern," IWH-Sonderhefte 2/2011, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    17. Yu-Shan Chen, 2008. "The Positive Effect of Green Intellectual Capital on Competitive Advantages of Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 77(3), pages 271-286, February.
    18. Matteo Migheli, 2013. "Relational capital, profitability and access to credit: evidence from a sample of Italian small firms," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 60(2), pages 221-233, June.

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