Showing papers by "Philip Cooke published in 2012"

Transversality and Transition: Green Innovation and New Regional Path Creation

Abstract: Since Paul David first published his economic histories of path-dependent innovation, the subject has exerted fascination upon scholars of innovation and technological change and, latterly, regional scientists and economic geographers. This paper speaks of the third and fourth of these communities in the main, though it may have theoretical and empirical elements of interest to the first two as well. It begins with an overview of recent perspectives and critiques concerning the relevance of the path dependence concept to the understanding of regional economic development and its associated governance. It then goes on to discuss the contribution of evolutionary economic geography to thinking about “branching” from path dependence and the creation of new paths. Evidence for key generic spatial processes of path transition is provided before the main content of the paper concludes with new insights into the contributions of regional innovation policy to path evolution. Conclusions are then drawn.

Re-framing Regional Development : Evolution, Innovation and Transition

Abstract: Turbulence characterises the current global scene. This book uses complementary theoretical approaches to understand and help prescribe policies to ‘re-frame’ the regional development problem in turbulent times. These approaches are: evolutionary complexity; evolutionary economic geography; emergence theory; and resilience theory. From below, they address the four major crises creating a ‘perfect storm’ for societies and economics involving: the climate change crisis; the energy crisis; the banking and financial crisis; and the global economic crisis. This book analyses and proposes ways in which regional economies, in particular, are having to be ‘reframed’ to address these crises. First, many must evolve in new ways, possibly moving back from the ‘service economy’ towards a new, greener form of manufacturing of goods as well as services. Accordingly, regional economies are innovating in new ways. Amongst these are the quest for ‘relatedness’ within their own regional orbits, and promoting ‘modularity’ as a mode of analysis and a policy stance to stimulate innovation across industry and geographical borders. Finally, regional economies and societies are discovering that, from a ‘resilience’ perspective, they must find answers to the higher levels of governance with which they increasingly struggle. In this respect regional economies are in ‘transition’ and regional processes are ‘emergent’. The transition seeks to address the four crises, involving re-balancing, re-directing and re-framing future policy and practice. This book describes many of the novel ‘framings’ involved in understanding the new ways in which this major task is being addressed in theory, policy and everyday practice.

From Clusters to Platform Policies in Regional Development

Abstract: This short briefing paper addresses the next stage in the evolution of regional development policy. It is clear that the cluster idea has held sway in this field for some 20 years. By now, practitioners and academics are widely sceptical of policy capabilities to create let alone build clusters. Recessionary times make this more difficult. Moreover, where some recent success can be seen, it is associated with command economies such as China where normal market and democratic barriers to large public investments in such measures are absent. Nevertheless, clusters exist in many places and there is evidence, displayed in this paper, that in some regions they have mutated into multi-cluster platforms. Now, as regions seek to rebalance, platform policies are evolving and being implemented. This paper shows how this is in part a response to “Grand Challenges” and the emergence of “challenge-driven” innovation.

Relatedness, Transversality and Public Policy in Innovative Regions

Abstract: The aims of this paper are to reflect on policy evolution observed in the EURODITE study regions, to identify the most innovative policy trajectories for delivering growth opportunities to regional firms and to explain this in terms of key theoretical findings about the virtuous policy cycles that arise from geographical proximity, co-evolution, path inter-dependence, relatedness and transversality. Accordingly, the paper involves, first, assessing the role of varieties of “proximity” in the formation of spatial distinctiveness. Second it investigates the appropriateness or otherwise of notions of “path dependence” to understanding spatial co-evolution. This leads to insights about “relatedness” in the interaction of path dependences, or more accurately path inter-dependence in evolving spatial processes, notably interactions between regional innovation paradigms and regimes in explaining regional variety. This allows eventual conjecture regarding the evidence for “regional regime variety” based on approp...

Resilience, Innovative ‘White Spaces’ and Cluster-Platforms as a Response to Globalisation Shocks

Abstract: Localized creativity, small high-tech entrepreneurship, related innovation platforms, social capital embedded in dynamically open territorial communities and context-specific though continuously upgrading policy platforms are all means to face new challenges and to promote increased absorptive capacity within local and national territories. The contributors illustrate that these capabilities are much needed in the current globalized economy as a path towards sustainability and for creating new opportunities for their inhabitants. They analyse the challenges and development prospects of local/regional production systems internally, across territories, and in terms of their potential and territorial connectivity which can help exploit opportunities for proactive policy actions. This is increasingly relevant in the current climate, in which the balanced allocation of resources and opportunities, particularly for SMEs, cannot be expected to be the automatic result of the working of the market.

Green design aesthetics: Ten principles

Abstract: The rise of a green consciousness in societies affected by or recovering from carbon pollution has not fully emerged in a clear aesthetic form as yet. This paper is not comprehensive but will be a reflection upon the work of certain architects, designers and artists who display some kind of ’green aesthetic’. In architectural design, we shall return to an evaluation of the contribution to organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, looking for contemporary consistency with his ’horizontal’ and ’related variety’ approach, possibly captured in some work of Zaha Hadid and others. Some elements of this re-emerged in the later ‘Critical Regionalism’ architectural movement. In art, we shall review the sculptural contributions of ‘land art’ after David Nash, Richard Long, Peter Randall-Page and Andy Goldsworthy amongst others. Finally, in aesthetics, more generally, we shall attempt to ’abduce’ or at least deduce certain aesthetic principles that might inform a ’green design ethic’ in contemporary society from these and other artists.

The Increasing Use of Dramaturgy in Regional Innovation Practice

Abstract: This chapter reports on advances in regional innovation practice. Regional innovation has become a maturing field of economic governance. Regions have become more prominent actors in the innovation field in the past decade. Innovation is widely seen by supranational, national and regional governance bodies and agencies as a mainspring of improved regional economic performance and wellbeing. Leading regional innovation practitioners are increasingly being understood as catalysts of innovation, a development in their earlier role as being supporter or partner in innovation essentially conducted by others. One technique this chapter devotes attention to where regional ‘orchestration’ of innovation occurs is the use of narrative, drama and non-scientific laboratory experimentation to open business and community minds to the constructed regional advantages of innovation. The theoretical context is ‘post-cluster’ hence platform-minded and using matrix models to induce innovation through stimulating cross-cluster ‘transversality’.