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What Does Evolutionary Economic Geography Bring To The Policy Table? Reconceptualising regional innovation systems

Author

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  • Asheim, Bjørn

    (CIRCLE and the Department of Human Geography, Lund University; Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU), Norway)

  • M. Bugge, Markus

    (Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education, Norway)

  • Coenen, Lars

    (CIRCLE, Lund University; Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU), Norway)

  • Herstad, Sverre

    (NIFU, Oslo Norway)

Abstract

The article discusses the strategic roles of public policy and institutions and the way this effect to the efficiency of regional innovation systems in the landscape of evolutionary economic geography. It argues that the current emphasis on path dependency historically contingent preconditions has provided important insights into the interdependencies between industrial knowledge bases and routines, regional system dynamics and long-term development paths. Yet, it falls short of capturing the scope of policy intervention which follows logically from the evolutionary framework itself. Anchored in a renewed regional innovation systems approach, the article presents a policy intervention framework for constructing regional advantage in different contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Asheim, Bjørn & M. Bugge, Markus & Coenen, Lars & Herstad, Sverre, 2013. "What Does Evolutionary Economic Geography Bring To The Policy Table? Reconceptualising regional innovation systems," Papers in Innovation Studies 2013/5, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2013_005
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bjørn T. Asheim & Arne Isaksen & Roman Martin & Michaela Trippl, 2017. "The role of clusters and public policy in new regional economic path development," Chapters, in: Dirk Fornahl & Robert Hassink (ed.), The Life Cycle of Clusters, chapter 1, pages 13-34, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    3. Markus Grillitsch & Bjørn T. Asheim, 2017. "Cluster policy: Renewal through the integration of institutional variety," Chapters, in: Dirk Fornahl & Robert Hassink (ed.), The Life Cycle of Clusters, chapter 4, pages 76-94, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Peter Schmidt, 2015. "Market vs. system failure as a rationale for EU regional policy? A critique from an evolutionary economic perspective," ERSA conference papers ersa15p842, European Regional Science Association.
    5. Martin , Roman & Trippl , Michaela, 2013. "System Failures, Knowledge Bases and Regional Innovation Policies," Papers in Innovation Studies 2013/13, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    6. Lars Coenen & Jerker Moodysson & Hanna Martin, 2015. "Path Renewal in Old Industrial Regions: Possibilities and Limitations for Regional Innovation Policy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 850-865, May.
    7. Isaksen , Arne & Trippl , Michaela, 2014. "Regional industrial path development in different regional innovation systems: A conceptual analysis," Papers in Innovation Studies 2014/17, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    8. Andrea Renda, 2016. "Selecting and Designing European ICT Innovation Policies," JRC Research Reports JRC103661, Joint Research Centre.
    9. Asheim , Bjørn & Grillitsch , Markus, 2015. "Smart specialisation: Sources for new path development in a peripheral manufacturing region," Papers in Innovation Studies 2015/11, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    10. Martin, Hanna & Martin, Roman, 2016. "Policy capacities for new regional industrial path development – The case of new media and biogas in southern Sweden," Papers in Innovation Studies 2016/25, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    11. Wintjes, R. & Douglas, D. & Fairburn, J. & Hollanders, H. & Pugh, G., 2014. "Beyond product innovation; improving innovation policy support for SMEs in traditional industries," MERIT Working Papers 2014-032, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    12. Peter Schmidt, 2018. "Market failure vs. system failure as a rationale for economic policy? A critique from an evolutionary perspective," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 785-803, September.
    13. Berna Sezen Özen & Tüzin Baycan, 2022. "Regional Innovation Performances in Turkey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-34, August.
    14. Trond Nilsen, 2017. "Firm-driven path creation in arctic peripheries," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 32(2), pages 77-94, March.
    15. Trippl, Michaela & Asheim, Björn & Miorner, Johan, 2015. "Identification of regions with less developed research and innovation systems," Papers in Innovation Studies 2015/1, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    evolutionary economic geography; institutions; regional innovation policy; clusters; regional innovation systems;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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