RESEARCH DIALOGS AND CLUSTER STRATEGIES- INNOVATION IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
This study is based on analyzing four settings of firms (clusters) joining in regional innovation programs to facilitate research driven innovation. The meso level as a meeting point between micro level with firm strategies and macro level with programs, markets and branch actors, is studied as a le...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.169.7090 http://www.regional-studies-assoc.ac.uk/events/2010/may-pecs/papers/Finstad.pdf |
| Summary: | This study is based on analyzing four settings of firms (clusters) joining in regional innovation programs to facilitate research driven innovation. The meso level as a meeting point between micro level with firm strategies and macro level with programs, markets and branch actors, is studied as a level facilitate change. Local development depends on the institutions, competence and learning on local and regional levels (Cook and Morgan 1998). The autonomy at the meso level to make decisions and act in a learning and strategies context is a crucial question to regional problem solving and innovation. The confidence at the meso level as a learning arena where firm actors meets to cooperate and act in local strategies is an important developmental factor. It is also as Ahrne (1990 s 4) says, an arena where action and structure must be intertwined. The framework of social capital development also provides useful insights into how these levels can be present and linked in local innovation and entrepreneurial activity. Four clusters of firms is the setting of this study. The first case is a rural industrial cluster related to innovative technology development for production of wafers for renewable solar energy production. The second case is the Norwegian Centre of Expertise cluster related to R&D and commercial development of new marine species for aquaculture (cod in particular). The third case is a regional network program for the development of experience based tourism in the Northern part of Nordland County, whereas the last case is related to the organizing of a R&D and innovation center in technology development for cold climate conditions. The clusters are developed through different programs and methods to support local innovation. In this paper we discuss the experiences and implications from findings in the program development for improving learning and innovation in aligning individual and systemic innovation processes. |
|---|