Today, the study of regions is central to academic analysis and policy deliberation on how to respond to the rise of the knowledge economy. Regional Economies as Knowledge Laboratories illustrates how newer types of regional analysis - utilising scientometrics, knowledge services measures and university networks, and concepts such as knowledge life cycles, experimental knowledge creation, and knowledge ethics - are leading to a perception that regional economies increasingly resemble knowledge laboratories. In addition to these measures and concepts, the book features case studies and assessments of policies implemented to facilitate regional engagement with the knowledge economy, and a critique of 'knowledge economy' as ideology. The importance of maintaining a balanced perspective in assessing the depth and reach of the role of knowledge in the market economy is also examined. Aiming to contribute to the better understanding of theories and practices associated with knowledge regions, this book will appeal to a wide ranging audience, including regional and industrial economists, innovation scientists, academics and practitioners with an interest in knowledge and management organisation, regional scientists, economic geographers, and economic sociologists.

International contributors provide the first examination of the growing subject of regional knowledge-economy development. Illustrated by data and 'stylized' accounts, the international contributors chart the evolution of knowledge economies, questioning the way in which they work and criticize accepted theories and inform how places can cope in the knowledge economy. Based in concept on Cooke's Knowledge Economies (Routledge, 2002), Regional Development in the Knowledge Economy is a well-grounded work exploring this increasingly important theme with relevance to innovation systems and related economic development literature.

The search for the key to economic growth has proved elusive and contentious. This book uses new empirical evidence to propose an integrated approach for achieving strong industrial and technological capabilities to form the basis for regional and national economic development.The authors use the experiences of countries in Europe and Latin America to show that socio-technical constituencies play a fundamental role in innovation based economic development at both a regional and national level. By blending insights from the industrial cluster and national innovation system approaches with the socio-technical constituencies approach, the authors successfully integrate long standing debates such as agency structure and micro-meso-macro analysis. The work is based both on a theoretical effort to build a new framework for economic growth, and on a number of concrete experiences from a number of countries in Europe and Latin America. Knowledge Flows in National Systems of Innovation will prove essential reading for scholars of innovation, technology and economic development.

Il trasferimento tecnologico e divenuto centrale nella gestione dell'innovazione e della proprieta intellettuale in enti e imprese. Si tratta di una attivita relativamente nuova e dai forti contenuti interdisciplinari, che viene fatta oggetto di insegnamento soprattutto nei corsi post-universitari. Sono finora mancate opere di riferimento generale che trattino della materia dal punto di vista delle strategie, degli argomenti, delle politiche e delle procedure, con taglio pratico e con approfondimento scientifico tecnico, giuridico, manageriale. Dopo una parte introduttiva sulle strategie di valorizzazione dei risultati della ricerca, l'opera affronta in primo luogo il tema dell'organizzazione: come l'ente deve organizzarsi internamente per valorizzare i risultati della ricerca. Le ulteriori parti trattano dei canali che soprattutto gli enti di ricerca utilizzano per le attivita di trasferimento tecnologico, cioe l'attivita negoziale di licensing e la formazione di imprese spin-off."

L'opera presenta e descrive il fenomeno del trasferimento tecnologico da universita a industria attraverso una prospettiva originale, da "insider," cioe la prospettiva delle universita. Il volume racconta, attraverso la penna degli stessi protagonisti, la nascita, la crescita e le esperienze degli Uffici di Trasferimento Tecnologico (TTO) delle principali universita italiane, facendo emergere l'eterogeneita delle loro ambizioni, dei traguardi raggiunti e delle risorse a loro disposizione per la valorizzazione della ricerca scientifica. L'idea di fondo dell'opera e che i "numeri" danno una visione importante ma solo parziale di quello che e un TTO universitario. Il nostro lavoro a stretto contatto con i professionisti del trasferimento tecnologico ci ha dimostrato che l'attivita di tali uffici e ricca di storie significative e ad alto contenuto formativo, dove l'elemento umano, e le modalita con cui esso e gestito, giocano un ruolo centrale nel trasferimento di conoscenza dal mondo della ricerca a quello dell'industria."

International contributors provide the first examination of the growing subject of regional knowledge-economy development.

Illustrated by data and 'stylized' accounts, the international contributors chart the evolution of knowledge economies, questioning the way in which they work and criticize accepted theories and inform how places can cope in the knowledge economy.

Based in concept on Cooke's Knowledge Economies (Routledge, 2002), Regional Development in the Knowledge Economy is a well-grounded work exploring this increasingly important theme with relevance to innovation systems and related economic development literature.