Hardback
Networks in the Innovation Process
Local and Regional Interactions
9781845429300 Edward Elgar Publishing
Innovation has long been regarded as an interactive process between heterogeneous actors and as a crucial factor in local and regional development. This timely and significant book focuses on the interactions existing within local networks, providing a theoretical foundation to interactive processes as well as a methodological toolkit for the analysis of innovation from a regional perspective.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contents
More Information
Innovation has long been regarded as an interactive process between heterogeneous actors and as a crucial factor in local and regional development. This timely and significant book focuses on the interactions existing within local networks, providing a theoretical foundation to interactive processes as well as a methodological toolkit for the analysis of innovation from a regional perspective.
The author employs a number of empirical methods, ranging from econometric studies to surveys and social network analysis, in order to provide an intensive and diverse approach to the analysis of local or regional innovation systems. The application of social network analysis containing patent data is particularly important as it can be applied to other entities such as regions, firms or technologies. As its case study, the book presents a detailed examination of the innovation system present in the Jena region in Germany, and demonstrates the ways in which it has developed from a variety of different perspectives.
This lively and comprehensive volume will find widespread appeal amongst researchers in the fields of regional economics, evolutionary economics and the economics of innovation. It will also attract policy consultants interested in creating innovative networks.
The author employs a number of empirical methods, ranging from econometric studies to surveys and social network analysis, in order to provide an intensive and diverse approach to the analysis of local or regional innovation systems. The application of social network analysis containing patent data is particularly important as it can be applied to other entities such as regions, firms or technologies. As its case study, the book presents a detailed examination of the innovation system present in the Jena region in Germany, and demonstrates the ways in which it has developed from a variety of different perspectives.
This lively and comprehensive volume will find widespread appeal amongst researchers in the fields of regional economics, evolutionary economics and the economics of innovation. It will also attract policy consultants interested in creating innovative networks.
Critical Acclaim
‘The book is a valuable contribution to the field of local innovation studies and it will inspire particularly scholars who are interested in exploring the innovation dynamics of cities and regions by applying social network analysis.’
– Michaela Trippl, Journal of Regional Science
‘This book will form part of a new and promising field of research on clustering and innovation. It not only addresses innovative research questions about the evolution of networks in regional settings and how (local) network positions of firms determine their performance, but also applies advanced quantitative methodologies, such as co-patenting analysis and the use of social network analysis. With the assistance of a number of sophisticated analytical tools, Holger Graf presents an interesting and thorough examination of the Jena region at different spatial levels, which will appeal to academics around the world.’
– Ron A. Boschma, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
‘Holger Graf provides a highly interesting and stimulating approach to local innovation systems, the analyses of which, until now, have tended to be of a rather descriptive and often static nature. Starting with a birds-eye view on the local innovation system of Jena and investigating its comparative performance within the German regions, he then narrows down the lens and focuses step-by-step on the bilateral interaction structures within the system. The respective analyses – applying network analysis and network regression – are primarily oriented towards the dynamics and evolution of the system and the interaction structures therein. The results contribute in an innovative way to the current literature on innovation systems and will stimulate future research in this area.’
– Uwe Cantner, Friedrich Schiller University, Germany
– Michaela Trippl, Journal of Regional Science
‘This book will form part of a new and promising field of research on clustering and innovation. It not only addresses innovative research questions about the evolution of networks in regional settings and how (local) network positions of firms determine their performance, but also applies advanced quantitative methodologies, such as co-patenting analysis and the use of social network analysis. With the assistance of a number of sophisticated analytical tools, Holger Graf presents an interesting and thorough examination of the Jena region at different spatial levels, which will appeal to academics around the world.’
– Ron A. Boschma, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
‘Holger Graf provides a highly interesting and stimulating approach to local innovation systems, the analyses of which, until now, have tended to be of a rather descriptive and often static nature. Starting with a birds-eye view on the local innovation system of Jena and investigating its comparative performance within the German regions, he then narrows down the lens and focuses step-by-step on the bilateral interaction structures within the system. The respective analyses – applying network analysis and network regression – are primarily oriented towards the dynamics and evolution of the system and the interaction structures therein. The results contribute in an innovative way to the current literature on innovation systems and will stimulate future research in this area.’
– Uwe Cantner, Friedrich Schiller University, Germany
Contents
Contents: Preface 1. Introduction 2. The Systemic View of Innovation 3. Proximity and Innovation 4. Interaction in German Regions 5. High-Tech Firms in Jena 6. Networks of Innovators 7. Local Innovation Systems in Comparison 8. Conclusions Appendix Bibliography Index
