| Summary: | Doctoral thesis (Ph.D.) – Bodø Graduate School of Business, 2008 The acknowledgement of innovation as the main driving force in economic development, and the assumptions that networks, regional co-operation and trust contribute to innovation, form the basis of this project. There is a substantial and rapidly growing literature about how regional co-operation and innovative networks work. One should expect this literature to encompass a broad discussion on how to develop appropriate forms of cooperation, but such discussions are relative ly rare. The purpose of the present work is to raise and discuss precisely this issue, i.e. how to develop innovative regional networks in theory and practice. Universities are challenged to enhance innovation environments and the thesis focuses on mechanisms enacted by a university, such as triggering networking processes within the business community. The research problem is how regional universities may pro mote development of regional networks, and how education of experienced managers may be utilized as a mechanism in this process. The overall research question is: How can regional forms of co-operation that enhance innovation be developed, and how can the regional universityassist in this development? The three subquestions are: 1) Does network reflection influence the development of regional co-operation and communities of practice? 2) Does network reflection influence regional collective learning and innovation? 3) How can management education contribute to the creation of interpersonal trust in networks? The empirical context is a cluster of electronics industry in the Norwegian Vestfold region. In 2000, the cluster association decided to set up a joint management programme - in co-operation with the regional university - to improve management practices and increase regional co-operation. To meet this challenge the university developed the educational method network reflection. Network reflection is a pedagogical method for interorganizational, part-time management ...
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