“…Amin and Thrift (1995) proposed the presence of 'institutional thickness' as explanation of the superior performance of some regions, although recent research has questioned the value of this metaphor and instead has emphasized quality and performance of institutions rather than their density because 'very similar institutional settings work in different ways in different territories' (Farole et al, 2011: 74). Analysis has involved the search for an elusive 'devolution dividend', while the role of institutions looms large in discussions of the 'learning region' or the performance of development agencies (Bellini et al, 2012;Morgan, 2006Morgan, , 2007Pike et al, 2012;Rodríguez-Pose and Gill, 2005). 'Leadership' has been suggested as another ingredient in 'regional success' (Sotarauta et al, 2012).…”