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This paper presents a systematic account of the idea and content of regional innovation systems following discoveries made by regional scientists, economic geographers and innovation analysts. It considers the conditions and criteria for empirical recognition and judgement as to whether scientifically analysed, concrete cases of innovation activity warrant the designation of regional innovation system. The paper concludes by claiming that the source for Europe's innovation gap with the United States rests on excess reliance on public intervention, which signifies major market failure. The future will require widespread evolution of public innovation support systems along with stronger institutional and organizational support from the private sector.

Asheim B. T., Boschma R. and Cooke P. Constructing regional advantage: platform policies based on related variety and differentiated knowledge bases, Regional Studies. This paper presents a regional innovation policy model based on the idea of constructing regional advantage. This policy model brings together concepts like related variety, knowledge bases and policy platforms. Related variety attaches importance to knowledge spillovers across complementary sectors. The paper categorizes knowledge into 'analytical' (science based), 'synthetic' (engineering based) and 'symbolic' (arts based) in nature, with different requirements of 'virtual' and real proximity mixes. The implications of this are traced for evolving 'platform policies' that facilitate economic development within and between regions in action lines appropriate to incorporate the basic principles behind related variety and differentiated knowledge bases. Asheim B. T., Boschma R. and Cooke P. 构建区域优势：基于&# 30456;关多样性以及不同 693;识基础的平台政策ᦁ 2; 区域研究。 本文展示了基于构建&# 21306;域优势这一理念的 306;域创新政策模型。 本政策模型整合了相&# 20851;多样性、知识基础 197;及政策平台等概念Ӎ 0;相对多样性概念强调 了相互补充的部门间&# 30693;识外溢存在的重要 615;。本文按知识的性ฝ 6;将其分类为：分析性 （以科学为基础）、&# 20808;验性（以工程为基 784;）以及象征性（以ഌ 2;术为基础），不同类 别的知识对于“真实&# x201d;有着不同的要求。 991;章考察了上述分类ल 5;于“平台政策”演进 的影响，平台政策有&# 21161;于整合相关多样性 644;不同知识基础背后௚ 0;基本原则，以此辅助 区域内外协同发展。 相关多样性 不同知识基础 区域创新政策 区域（衍 生）分支 Asheim B. T., Boschma R. et Cooke P. L'etablissement de l'avantage regional: une plate-forme economique fondee sur la variete liee et des bases de connaissance differenciee, Regional Studies. Cet article cherche a presenter un modele de la politique en faveur de l'innovation regionale fondee sur la notion de l'etablissement de l'avantage regional. Cette politique reunit des notions telles la variete liee, les bases de connaissance, et des plates-formes economiques. La variete attache de l'importance aux retombees de connaissance a travers des secteurs complementaires. L'article classe la connaissance, par nature, sous les rubriques 'analytique' (fondee sur la science), 'synthetique' (fondee sur l'ingenierie) et 'symbolique' (fondee sur les arts), y compris des besoins differents pour les melanges de proximites 'virtuelle' et reelle. On en esquisse les implications quant aux 'plates-formes economiques'qui facilitent le developpement economique sur les plans intra et interregionaux a partir des actions appropriees aux principes qui etayent la variete liee et les bases de connaissance differenciee. Variete liee Bases de connaissance differenciee Plate-forme Politique en faveur de l'innovation regionale Ramification regionale Asheim B. T., Boschma R. und Cooke P. Aufbau eines regionalen Vorteils: Plattform-Politiken auf der Grundlage von verwandter Varietat und differenzierten Wissensbasen, Regional Studies. In diesem Beitrag wird ein Modell fur regionale Innovationspolitik auf der Grundlage der Idee des Aufbaus eines regionalen Vorteils vorgestellt. In diesem politischen Modell werden unter anderem Konzepte von verwandter Varietat, Wissensbasen und politischen Plattformen mitein...

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In this introduction the editors showcase the papers by way of a structured project and seek to clarify the two key concepts cited in the title. We consider the history of the idea that knowledge is an economic factor, and discuss the question of whether regions provide the relevant system of reference for knowledge-based economic development. Current transformations in university-industry-government relations at various levels can be considered as a metamorphosis in industry organization. The concept of constructed advantage will be elaborated. The various papers arising from a conference on this subject hosted by Memorial University, Newfoundland, Canada are approached from this perspective. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006regions, innovation, constructed advantage, knowledge, research, A14, O33, R11, R58,

The authors develop the concept of regional systems of innovation and relate it to preexisting research on national systems of innovation. They argue that work conducted in the ‘new regional science’ field is complementary to systems of innovation approaches. They seek to link new regional work to evolutionary economics, and argue for the development of evolutionary regional science. Common elements of interest to evolutionary innovation research and new regional science are important in understanding processes of agglomeration, trust building, innovation, institutions, and learning in regional systems. The authors develop analytical frameworks for designating regional systems of innovation in terms of distinction between institutions and organisations, hard and soft infrastructures, and the cultural superstructure. They conclude that an evolutionary approach assists understanding of regional potential for developing systemic innovation.

Cooke P., Clifton N. and Oleaga M. (2005) Social capital, firm embeddedness and regional development, Regional Studies 39 , 1065-1077. This paper presents the results of a research project examining the effects of social capital on the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 12 UK regions. It first investigates the association between performance and social capital use at the firm level, then it seeks to move beyond the confines of the individual firm in order to relate these 'firm capabilities' findings to the meso-level to assess regional economic performance in relation to social capital. The research on the conscious use by firms of 'relational embeddedness' in markets shows this to be an important indicator of SME performance, but not conclusively of regional economic performance measured in terms of regional competitiveness.Social capital, Embeddedness, Networks, Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Regional development, Valeur de l'interaction sociale, Ancrage, Reseaux, PME, Amenagement du territoire, Sozialkapital, Verankerung, Netzwerke, SMEs, Regionalentwicklung, Capital social, Arraigamiento, Redes, Pymes, Desarrollo regional, JEL classifications: D21, L10, O1, O18,

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