Regional Innovation Systems: Alternative Futures. Robert Hassink University of Oslo Department of Sociology and Human Geography

Transcription

1 Regional Innovation Systems: Alternative Futures Robert Hassink University of Oslo Department of Sociology and Human Geography

2 A regional innovation system: 1) A geographical concentration of firms in vertical and horizontal relationships, 2) cooperation on innovation between (at least) some core firms and knowledge organisations, 3) a localized enterprise support infrastructure with a shared developmental vision among firms for business growth, and 4) a regional political level with some power to intervene and support economic development, particularly innovations

3 Critical voices: BATHELT, H. 2003, 2005 Progress in Human Geography DOLOREUX, D. & S. PARTO (2005) Regional innovation systems: Current discourse and unresolved issues. Technology in Society 27,

4 1. A fuzzy concept how much, and what type of innovation must occur within a region for it to be a regional innovation system? (Doloreux & Parto 2005) what is a region? 2. An overlapping concept

5 Source: Moulaert & Sekia 2003

6 Source: Oughton et al 1999

7 Source: Oughton et al. 1999

8 3. Neglecting national innovation systems and global production networks Bathelt (2005) at this geographical level (i.e. a region), it is unlikely that a self-referential system can develop because regions are strongly dependent on national institutions and other external influences and lack important political decision-making competencies. Regional production configurations hardly have the potential to gain and retain structural independence and reproduce their basic structure.

9 Firms, actors Region Local information flow, gossip, buzz Global pipelines Bathelt et al. 2004

10 Despite these weaknesses, regional innovation systems are relevant They strengthened the relationship between economic geography and policy advising and consultancy; they are seen as an "intellectual basis for the development of particular forms of sub-national intervention" (OECD 2001, 25)

11 How to overcome weaknesses? Refining the concept by developing typologies Source: Cooke 2004

12 Focusing on specific innovation barriers Regional innovation systems problems Organisational thinness Fragmentation Lock-in Type of problem Lack of relevant local actors (knowledge organisations, innovative core firms) Lack of regional cooperation and mutual trust Regional industry specialised in outdated technology Possible policy tools Link firms to external resources (such as knowledge milieus) + acquisition Stimulate collaborative efforts by creating meeting places Open up networks towards external actors Source: Tödtling & Trippl 2005

13 Case-study Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

14 Mono-structure despite strong de-industrialisation after reunification ( => jobs) All yards are part of larger concern Strong competition with Korean yards Collapse of the supplier network Strong state support (state, federal, EU) to modernise production facilities (1.0 billion Euro) Successful lobby network at several spatial levels => political lock-in

15 IG Metall Küste (trade union) Yards Yard cities State of MVP (Land) Shipbuilding Association Federal government European Shipb. Assoc. European Commission

16

17

18 Large number of engineering consultancies, innovation centres, transfer agencies Strong innovation support, partly through long-term personal networks: I InnoRegio-Project network of maritime manufacturers, service companies, research institutes and shipyards 15.9 million Euro

19

20

21 Conclusion Regional innovation systems have been heavily criticised recently (fuzzy, overlap, global pipelines), but by refining the concept part of the problems can be overcome We need to explain more clearly differences between regional innovation systems and clusters and learning regions We find in each region one or more clusters, but not each region needs to have a regional innovation system to be competitive (region with dissimilar clusters)

22 Thank you for your attention Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit Mange takk for oppmerksomheten Hartelijk dank voor uw aandacht