Theme
Territorial dimension of the innovation and knowledge economy
Thematic scope
New scientific and technological powers outside the European territory are attracting considerable and increasing amounts of R&D investments. Against this background new opportunities arise but also the question of Europe’s ability to sustain a competitive edge in knowledge and innovation. The EC recognises the territorial dimension of the innovation and knowledge economy and its role in potential territorial development and cohesion in both, the Green Paper on the European Research Area as well as the Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion. Knowledge has in recent years become a key driver for growth of economic systems, and the access to knowledge is generally considered as a key condition for innovative activities in our modern economy. The project takes this policy context as a starting point to explore the territorial dimension of the innovation and knowledge economy. An overall concept is used including product innovation, process innovation and organisational innovation. This project will take into account the current state, patterns and potentials of regions with respect to the knowledge and innovation economy and identify new development opportunities through innovation for Europe and its territories.
Please read more about the main research areas and main results envisaged on the next page.
Lead Partner
Politecnico di Milano - BEST (Building Environment Sciences and Technology)
Detailed information on the contracted project team can be found under Transnational Project Groups.
Sounding Board
Eurico Neves, Portugal
Grzegorz Gorzelak, Poland
Budget: € 750 000,00
Project’s lifetime: February 2010 – December 2012
Delivery of Reports
Inception Report: 31 August 2010
Interim Report: 28 February 2011
Draft Final Report: 28 February 2012
Final Report: 30 June 2012
Main research areas
- Current territorial state and patterns of the innovation and knowledge economy in Europe.
- Spatial dimension of innovation and knowledge across different types of territories.
- Territorial dimension of potentials and perspectives in different territories to further support the development of the innovation and knowledge economy.
- Structural and sectoral features, local economic resources, territorial settlement structures, social capital and its role in the innovation and knowledge economy.
- Territorial potentials and patterns for innovation and knowledge spill-overs.
- Role of innovative clusters and regions in territorial cooperation, development and cohesion.
- Impact of the innovation and knowledge economy on the competitiveness, territorial development, cohesion and socio-economic situation of European regions and cities.
- Comparative analysis of the territorial determinants of innovation in Europe, United States, China and India and the position of European regions in a global context.
Main results envisaged
- Conceptual definition of the knowledge economy to identify the territorial dimension and spatial trends of innovation and knowledge as well as territorially relevant elements of the innovation and knowledge economy.
- Identification of spatial patterns of innovation and knowledge creation as well as patterns of innovation and knowledge spill-overs.
- Evidence about territorial potentials that can be exploited in different territories to further support the development of the innovation and knowledge economy.
- Measurement of the performance of the innovation and knowledge economy and detection of territorial potentials to increase this performance.
- Building of a spatial development strategy for the innovation and knowledge economy by identifying winning strategies for innovation and knowledge development.
- Typology highlighting models of endogenous regional innovation and knowledge creation and models of regional innovation and knowledge acquisition from outside the region.
- Impact of mobility of inventors, highly-skilled labour mobility, cooperation among inventors, distribution of highly-skilled scientists on the capacity of regions to innovate.
- Identification of social, environmental and economic aspects of innovations and knowledge economy.
- European maps revealing the territorial structure of the innovation and knowledge economy, typologies of regions, potentials for regional development.
- Innovative results to support policy development and formulate policy recommendations for the development of a successful knowledge economy at the regional level.
More information
Please contact the Project Expert at the ESPON Coordination Unit:
Ann-Gritt NEUSE, e-mail: ann-gritt.neuse@espon.eu
Interim Report
Interim Report - Scientific Report
Inception Report
Project Specification
source: http://www.espon.eu