Review About Regional Development Networks: an Ecosystem Model Proposal
- PDF / 1,650,698 Bytes
- 23 Pages / 439.37 x 666.142 pts Page_size
- 108 Downloads / 185 Views
Review About Regional Development Networks: an Ecosystem Model Proposal João Lopes 1 & Mário Franco 2
Received: 14 September 2016 / Accepted: 9 February 2017 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2017
Abstract In today’s increasingly global economy, the relationships of competition between countries and regions have changed. Therefore, regional development networks have come to assume relevance at the regional level, and through a literature review, this study aims to answer the question: What is the role of regional development networks in regions’ competitiveness? To this end, an ecosystem model is proposed for regional development networks so as to help regions in their development and competitiveness. This study also identified four types of regional network: (1) smart specialisation strategies, (2) regional innovation strategy, (3) regional development and entrepreneurship networks, and (4) ecosystems of entrepreneurship and innovation. The model proposed contributes to advancements in this area of research, since only the Bhelices^ model of regional development network was found. The newly developed ecosystem model has not been empirically validated. In terms of guidelines for future research, this topic should be addressed by collecting information to expand the model presented here, as well as testing it in regions and subsequently between regions. Keywords Eco-innovation . Regional development . Entrepreneurship ecosystems . Innovation . Smart specialisation . Model
* Mário Franco [email protected] João Lopes [email protected]
1
University of Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal
2
Management and Economics Department CEFAGE-UBI Research Center, University of Beira Interior, Estrada do Sineiro, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal
J Knowl Econ
Introduction In recent years, policies on regional technology, national science and international innovation have increased support for interaction and networks between organizations of the innovation system (Wanzenböck et al. 2014). Therefore, interaction, research collaboration and actor networks are crucial for successful innovation (Fischer 2001); besides, innovation and the spread of knowledge are the essential instruments for sustainable economic competitiveness (Romer 1990; Despotovic et al. 2015). Regions are considered fundamental for knowledge production and innovation (Lagendijk 2001).Consequently, cooperation by organizations in networks increases the capacity for organizational innovation and also has a significant influence on the regional innovation system’s (RIS) capacity for innovation (Cooke 2001). A network can be defined as a set of social relationships established, of differing degrees between interdependent actors (Sotarauta 2010). This author also states that one of the parties needs resources and skills controlled by others, and that all benefit if resources and skills are pooled. A relevant advantage of the network concept is that it helps us to understand extremely complex formal institutional regimes and
Data Loading...
