Asheim B. T., Lawton Smith H. and Oughton C. Regional innovation systems: theory, empirics and policy, Regional Studies. Interest in regional innovation systems has grown significantly over the past three decades driven partly by advances in theoretical analysis, partly by the growing interest in innovation as a source of competitive advantage, and partly by the need for new policies to address regional inequalities and divergence. This article explores the elements and characteristics that exemplify the regional innovation systems approach. It provides an appraisal and synthesis of the regional innovation systems paradigm and aims to shed light on a number of areas where theoretical, empirical and policy-based questions remain unanswered. It outlines and assesses the major strands in recent theoretical and empirical debates and discusses how they might be developed to contribute to the further advancement of the regional innovation systems literature. Three interrelated questions form the key themes around which the article is structured. The first concerns the very nature of the system itself. The second concerns the boundaries of industrial districts, clusters and regional innovation systems, and the role of cognitive frontiers, knowledge transfer and learning. The third relates to the central role of knowledge and learning in clusters and regional innovation systems and in particular to the role and functioning of the labour market. These three cross-cutting themes separately and collectively provide new theoretical, empirical and policy insights; they also raise other questions which are intended to stimulate much future research. Asheim B. T., Lawton Smith H. and Oughton C. 区域创新系统：理论&# 12289;实践以及政策，区 495;研究。 对区域创新系统的关&# 27880;在过去的 30 年内得到显著提高，&# 36825;部分归因于理论分 512;的进步，也由于创ਫ 2;是竞争优势的源头， 同时也基于新政策强&# 35843;区域不公平以及区 495;差异的需求。本文್ 1;察了对区域创新系统 方法进行分析的要素&# 20197;及特征。文章通过 545;区域创新系统范式௚ 0;评价以及综合分析为 理论、实践以及政策&# 39046;域做出相应的贡献 290;研究概述并评价了௤ 6;前理论及实践研究中 主要的分支，讨论了&# 20182;们在区域创新系统 740;究中的下一步发展ਬ 1;向。文章围绕三个理 论核心展开。首先考&# 34385;系统本身的性质。 854;次考虑产业区、集ೃ 6;以及区域创新系统的 边界，认知前沿、知&# 35782;转换以及学习过程 340;作用。第三是知识ߎ 2;学习在集群及区域创 新系统尤其是劳动力&# 24066;场职能中的核心作 992;。上述三类跨界的ߒ 7;题各自或者整合地提 供了新的理论、实践&# 20197;及政策视角，同时 063;指出未来研究中需ව 1;注意的问题。 区域创新系统 产业区 集群 知识与学习 劳动力市场 Asheim B. T., Lawton Smith H. et Oughton C. Les systemes d'innovation regionaux: la theorie, l'empiricisme et la politique, Regional Studies. L'interet pour les systemes d'innovation regionaux a augmente sensiblement pendant les trois dernieres decennies, conduit en partie par les progres dans l'analyse theorique, en partie par l'interet croissant pour l'innovation comme source de l'avantage competitif, et en partie par la necessite des politiques nouvelles pour aborder les ecarts et les divergences regionaux. Cet article examine les elements et les caracteristiques qui illustrent les facons d'aborder les systemes d'innovation regionaux. On evalue et synthetise le paradigme des systemes d'innovation regionaux et eclaircit un nombre de questions theoriques, empiriques et de politiques aux...

The literature on universities' contributions to regional development is broad and diverse. A precise understanding of how regions may draw advantages from various university activities and the role of public policy institutions in promoting such activities is still missing. The aim of this paper is to provide a framework for analysing universities' contributions to regional economic and societal development in differing national contexts and the policy institutions that underpin them. To do this, we review four conceptual models: the entrepreneurial university model, the regional innovation system model, the mode 2 university model, and the engaged university model. The paper demonstrates that these four models emphasise very different activities and outputs by which universities are seen to benefit regional economy and society. It is also shown that these models differ markedly with respect to the policy implications and practice. Analysing some of the public policy imperatives and incentives in the UK, Austria and Sweden the paper highlights that in the UK policies encourage all four university models. In contrast, in Sweden and Austria policy institutions tend to privilege the RIS university model, whilst at the same time there is some evidence for increasing support of the entrepreneurial university model.

Global investment in biomedical research has grown significantly over the last decades, reaching approximately a quarter of a trillion US dollars in 2010. However, not all of this investment is distributed evenly by gender. It follows, arguably, that scarce research resources may not be optimally invested (by either not supporting the best science or by failing to investigate topics that benefit women and men equitably). Women across the world tend to be significantly underrepresented in research both as researchers and research participants, receive less research funding, and appear less frequently than men as authors on research publications. There is also some evidence that women are relatively disadvantaged as the beneficiaries of research, in terms of its health, societal and economic impacts. Historical gender biases may have created a path dependency that means that the research system and the impacts of research are biased towards male researchers and male beneficiaries, making it inherently difficult (though not impossible) to eliminate gender bias. In this commentary, we – a group of scholars and practitioners from Africa, America, Asia and Europe – argue that gender-sensitive research impact assessment could become a force for good in moving science policy and practice towards gender equity. Research impact assessment is the multidisciplinary field of scientific inquiry that examines the research process to maximise scientific, societal and economic returns on investment in research. It encompasses many theoretical and methodological approaches that can be used to investigate gender bias and recommend actions for change to maximise research impact. We offer a set of recommendations to research funders, research institutions and research evaluators who conduct impact assessment on how to include and strengthen analysis of gender equity in research impact assessment and issue a global call for action.

Introduction Knowledge-based economies are innovation driven: there is widespread agreement that knowledge, technological innovation, and industrial competitiveness are linked (Oughton et al, 2002). In the context of concerns in countries such as the United Kingdom that economic performance is held back by a lack of innovation, universities as sources and repositories of knowledge have assumed a central role in the delivery of policies designed to drive economic development. In this paper I put forward five propositions for why this is the case. The first is that the innovation process is more efficient if firms use external sources of knowledge to improve their own technological performance. Second, universities are one of these external sources. Third, the academic literature suggests that the innovation process is more effective if it is localised öhence, proximity of firms to universities is critical to the transfer of knowledge between them. Fourth, governments throughout the world have adopted the normative position that universities, their staff, and students should be more entrepreneurial and should contribute directly to economic development through business activities such as the formation of spin-off companies, and the patenting and licensing of technology. The market-failure argument is that, if it can be demonstrated that there is a deficit that can be corrected by encouraging firms which have not traditionally sought external technological resources to do so, then governments should design incentive structures to encourage firms and universities to engage in a dialogue by which commercially useful knowledge and practices may be developed and utilised [the triple-helix model of university^industry^government (Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff, 1997)]. Now, dialogue at the local level with local government as well as with business is prioritised. This normative governance role in itself is a fifth reason for the strategic importance of universities in local and regional economic agendas. (1) Universities have long been involved with industry [see, for example, Schwerin (2004) on the shipbuilding industry in 18th century Glasgow]. In the USA the landgrant universities were established in the 19th century to teach agriculture, military tactics, and the mechanical arts as well as classical studies (Etzkowitz et al, 2000). It was not until the 1980s, however, that an entrepreneurial role became mainstream policy

Surveys nine relatively new exporters with a view to defining their motivation and characteristics in relation to their first export orders. Suggests that the characteristics of these innovators/initiators of exporting are similar to those of innovators in other situations. Reveals that those who are likely to start exporting are those who have little loyalty to the UK marketing area. Underlines the importance of change agents in initiating the innovation.

Purpose – This study aims to provide a better understanding of the barriers and constraints that are faced by women entrepreneurs in starting and running a business in Kenya. Design/methodology/approach – The study draws on primary research conducted through face-to-face interviews with female entrepreneurs in Kenya in a wide range of sectors, each having their own micro enterprise. It draws on the framework of Bates et al. (2007) and Baughn et al. (2006) to look at the entrepreneurship landscape in Kenya and the barriers and constraints faced by women entrepreneurs, as well as the support and opportunities available. Findings – It was found that female entrepreneurs in Kenya face far fewer barriers to starting micro-enterprises now than ever before. It is proving to be a widely successful model, which they use to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. There remain, however, a number of barriers to growth within the micro-enterprise sector. On the basis of these, the paper argues that for female entrepreneurship to have a greater impact on economic growth within Kenya, the country needs to introduce more effective policies, regulation of the informal sector and further support to women entrepreneurs. For example, support could take the form of business training, mentoring and financial support. Originality/value – The paper presents original research on the growing phenomenon of female entrepreneurship in Kenya as a means of alleviating poverty. It considers how this trend relates to the growing availability of microfinance.

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