This comprehensive literature review presents key contributions to the topic of regional economic advantage. It helps the reader to understand how regions build advantage for industrial development through the use of endogenous and exogenous resources, how regional industrial development can be supported by place-based policy, and how the form and mechanisms of regional advantage change over time in a path dependent manner. Also analysed is research on industrial districts and new industrial spaces, as well as regional clusters and innovation systems, along with more recent discussion of global development impulses and evolutionary perspectives on regional development. Written by three experts in the field, this important review is an essential resource for those studying, researching or practicing in this area.

This book discusses the latest theoretical advances in regional innovation research, presents empirical cases involving the development of regional innovation systems (RISs), and explores regional innovation policy approaches. Grounded in the extensive literature on RISs, it addresses state-of-the-art developments in light of recent theoretical advances in economic geography and related disciplines. Written in honor of Bjorn Asheim's seventieth birthday, the book includes novel and carefully selected chapters prepared by collaborators, colleagues and former PhD-students of one of the founding fathers of RIS research. Further, it makes a significant contribution to the academic debate on regional innovation and growth and offers valuable insights for scholars and policymakers alike.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Over the past 25 years, the regional innovation system (RIS) approach has become a powerful framework for explaining the uneven geographical distribution of innovation, as well as for developing policies geared towards boosting the innovation capability of regional economies. This Advanced Introduction provides a critical review and discussion of research on RIS to answer a set of core questions covering the origins of the concept and its theoretical underpinnings, conceptual advances, empirical applications in different spatial contexts, the policy relevance of RIS and the challenges for future scholarly work. Key features include: ? a comprehensive introduction to the RIS approach and its development? a critical review of the development of research on RIS? an analysis of empirical varieties of RIS? in-depth discussion linking RIS to other important concepts in studies of regional economic development, including industrial districts, regional clusters, knowledge bases and regional industrial path development. Ideal as an introductory textbook at both bachelor and master levels in economic geography, regional economic development and innovation studies, this concise Advanced Introduction will be a vital tool for understanding regional innovation studies.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Over the past 25 years, the regional innovation system (RIS) approach has become a powerful framework for explaining the uneven geographical distribution of innovation, as well as for developing policies geared towards boosting the innovation capability of regional economies. This Advanced Introduction provides a critical review and discussion of research on RIS to answer a set of core questions covering the origins of the concept and its theoretical underpinnings, conceptual advances, empirical applications in different spatial contexts, the policy relevance of RIS and the challenges for future scholarly work. Key features include: ? a comprehensive introduction to the RIS approach and its development? a critical review of the development of research on RIS? an analysis of empirical varieties of RIS? in-depth discussion linking RIS to other important concepts in studies of regional economic development, including industrial districts, regional clusters, knowledge bases and regional industrial path development. Ideal as an introductory textbook at both bachelor and master levels in economic geography, regional economic development and innovation studies, this concise Advanced Introduction will be a vital tool for understanding regional innovation studies.

This book discusses the latest theoretical advances in regional innovation research, presents empirical cases involving the development of regional innovation systems (RISs), and explores regional innovation policy approaches. Grounded in the extensive literature on RISs, it addresses state-of-the-art developments in light of recent theoretical advances in economic geography and related disciplines. Written in honor of Bjorn Asheim's seventieth birthday, the book includes novel and carefully selected chapters prepared by collaborators, colleagues and former PhD-students of one of the founding fathers of RIS research. Further, it makes a significant contribution to the academic debate on regional innovation and growth and offers valuable insights for scholars and policymakers alike.

This original and timely book presents the most comprehensive, empirically based analysis of clustering dynamics in the high-technology sector across liberal and co-ordinated market economies. By carefully exploring and comparing ICT and biotechnology in the UK and Austria, the authors find evidence that industry innovation characteristics can overcome some of the supposed constraints of such 'varieties of capitalism' and themselves usher in regulatory reforms. They also provide a first examination of the ways in which firms utilize knowledge spillovers in such settings. In addition, the book highlights the practices of 'free-riders' and the excess land rents that they and more collaborative firms endure as 'diseconomies of agglomeration'. Finally, arising from these findings, the authors present a new post-sectoral, post-cluster policy methodology called 'Innovative Platform Policy', which they believe is more attuned to the dynamics of the knowledge economy. This book will be of great interest to academics, especially regional and industrial economists, economic geographers, regional scientists, political scientists and economic sociologists. It will also appeal to students and researchers, as well as government officials in industry, trade and economic development at national and regional levels.

This original and timely book presents the most comprehensive, empirically based analysis of clustering dynamics in the high-technology sector across liberal and co-ordinated market economies. By carefully exploring and comparing ICT and biotechnology in the UK and Austria, the authors find evidence that industry innovation characteristics can overcome some of the supposed constraints of such 'varieties of capitalism' and themselves usher in regulatory reforms. They also provide a first examination of the ways in which firms utilize knowledge spillovers in such settings. In addition, the book highlights the practices of 'free-riders' and the excess land rents that they and more collaborative firms endure as 'diseconomies of agglomeration'. Finally, arising from these findings, the authors present a new post-sectoral, post-cluster policy methodology called 'Innovative Platform Policy', which they believe is more attuned to the dynamics of the knowledge economy. This book will be of great interest to academics, especially regional and industrial economists, economic geographers, regional scientists, political scientists and economic sociologists. It will also appeal to students and researchers, as well as government officials in industry, trade and economic development at national and regional levels.