This book analyzes how the governance of innovation can foster sustainability. The quest for innovation is consistently at the top of the agenda for policy makers around the globe, on the supra-national level, as well as for the nation states and all the way down to debates in local governance and policy boards. At the same time, sustainability is a core feature of this dialogue in creating, diffusing and using technologies and products so that human needs can be met, while unnecessary natural resources are not being used or destroyed.

Based on these premises and given the complexity of sustainable innovation, there is an ever growing recognition among policy makers, industries and analysts that the development and diffusion of technological innovations need governing in order to contribute to societal goals such as climate change mitigation and resource efficiency. Such governance does not necessarily mean orchestration, imposing regulation or other policy measures in a top-down manner. Governance can be facilitated through a number of means and by various actors and different levels. This book presents a view of governance that involves almost all types of actors related to any specific sector or field.

This book focuses on the importance of geography and space in explaining knowledge flows, entrepreneurship and innovation. During the last few decades spatial perspectives have enjoyed a growing attention outside the specific discipline of geography both in academic economics and among practitioners of policy and planning. This book constitutes a selection of empirical contributions based on data from Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The studies address issues of the characteristics of intra- vs. interregional knowledge flows (Weterings and Ponds), the restructural process when a large pharmaceutical (Pharmacia) closes activities (Dahlgren and Valentin), the different structure of university-industry relationships in three countries with differential types of universities (Brostr?m, McKelvey and Sandstr?m), the locational organization of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) in a metropolitan region (Shearmur and Doloreux), the background of individuals in KIBS start-ups (Andersson and Hellerstedt) and give a critical scrutiny of attempts to create Regional Innovation Systems (Nuur, Gustavsson and Laestadius).
The contributions thus address relevant contemporary issues regarding the structure of the service economy, the role of academia, and renewal of industries. They provide valuable information, useful to policy-makers, planners and academics.

In an increasingly globalised world, paradoxically regional innovation clusters have moved to the forefront of attention as a strategy for economic and social development. Transcending international success cases, like Silicon Valley and Route 128, as sources of lessons, successful high tech clusters in niche areas have had a significant impact on peripheral regions. Are these successful innovation clusters born or made? If they are subject to planning and direction, what is the shape that it takes: top down, bottom up or lateral?

In an increasingly globalised world, paradoxically regional innovation clusters have moved to the forefront of attention as a strategy for economic and social development. Transcending international success cases, like Silicon Valley and Route 128, as sources of lessons, successful high tech clusters in niche areas have had a significant impact on peripheral regions. Are these successful innovation clusters born or made? If they are subject to planning and direction, what is the shape that it takes: top down, bottom up or lateral?

This book is about how societies around the world can accelerate innovation in sustainable transport. It examines the relationship between policy change and the development of technological innovations in low carbon vehicle technologies, including biofuels, hybrid-electric vehicles, electric vehicles and fuel cells. Examining this relationship across countries and regions that are leaders in vehicle manufacturing and innovation, such as the European Union, Germany, Sweden, China, Japan, Korea and USA, the books aims to learn lessons about policy and innovation performance.

This book focuses on the importance of geography and space in explaining knowledge flows, entrepreneurship and innovation. During the last few decades spatial perspectives have enjoyed a growing attention outside the specific discipline of geography both in academic economics and among practitioners of policy and planning. This book constitutes a selection of empirical contributions based on data from Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The studies address issues of the characteristics of intra- vs. interregional knowledge flows (Weterings and Ponds), the restructural process when a large pharmaceutical (Pharmacia) closes activities (Dahlgren and Valentin), the different structure of university-industry relationships in three countries with differential types of universities (Brostroem, McKelvey and Sandstroem), the locational organization of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) in a metropolitan region (Shearmur and Doloreux), the background of individuals in KIBS start-ups (Andersson and Hellerstedt) and give a critical scrutiny of attempts to create Regional Innovation Systems (Nuur, Gustavsson and Laestadius). The contributions thus address relevant contemporary issues regarding the structure of the service economy, the role of academia, and renewal of industries. They provide valuable information, useful to policy-makers, planners and academics.

This book offers a novel insight into the economic dynamics of modern biotechnology, using examples from Europe to reflect global trends. The authors apply theoretical insight to a fundamental enigma of the modern learning society, namely, how and why the development of knowledge and ideas interact with market processes and the formation of industries and firms. This book offers new empirical evidence to address such questions by studying the diversity of biotechnology in Europe. By analysing the way in which the development of new knowledge and information is linked with economic transformation, the authors are able to provide a rich theoretical understanding of the economic dynamics of knowledge within the biotechnology sector. They clearly show how innovation opportunities are affected not just by the market, but by scientific developments, networks, institutions and government policy. They also raise important theoretical questions about how and why new industries, networks and organizations are shaped, and highlight the development and impacts of biotechnology on many existing sectors, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture and insurance. The final chapter summarizes the theoretical challenges which have been overcome and identifies future areas for research. The Economic Dynamics of Modern Biotechnology will become essential reading for students, scholars and researchers of the management and economics of innovation, business strategy, industrial organization, the theory of the firm, the economics of technological change, and regional studies. It will also appeal to a wider political and business audience such as government policymakers and managers of biotechnology firms.

This book offers a novel insight into the economic dynamics of modern biotechnology, using examples from Europe to reflect global trends. The authors apply theoretical insight to a fundamental enigma of the modern learning society, namely, how and why the development of knowledge and ideas interact with market processes and the formation of industries and firms. This book offers new empirical evidence to address such questions by studying the diversity of biotechnology in Europe. By analysing the way in which the development of new knowledge and information is linked with economic transformation, the authors are able to provide a rich theoretical understanding of the economic dynamics of knowledge within the biotechnology sector. They clearly show how innovation opportunities are affected not just by the market, but by scientific developments, networks, institutions and government policy. They also raise important theoretical questions about how and why new industries, networks and organizations are shaped, and highlight the development and impacts of biotechnology on many existing sectors, including pharmaceuticals, agriculture and insurance. The final chapter summarizes the theoretical challenges which have been overcome and identifies future areas for research. The Economic Dynamics of Modern Biotechnology will become essential reading for students, scholars and researchers of the management and economics of innovation, business strategy, industrial organization, the theory of the firm, the economics of technological change, and regional studies. It will also appeal to a wider political and business audience such as government policymakers and managers of biotechnology firms.