Regional Trajectories to the Knowledge Economy: A Dynamic Model

IKINET-EURODITE Joint Conference

Warsaw, 24-25 May 2006

DescriptionObjectivesStructure

TimescalesOutputs

Integrated Research Project

• Five year project• Budget of almost €4 millions• Led by The Centre for Urban and Regional Studies

(CURS), University of Birmingham• Brings together 28 partners, including leading

researchers and practitioners, from 12 countries across Europe.

FP6 Objectives

• Priority 7, Theme 1.1.2 – Knowledge dynamics and economic and societal development in Europe and in its regions

• To understand the role of knowledge in the economies of European regions, in order to inform policies to promote the transition of these regions towards a knowledge-based economy with enhanced social cohesion

Conceptual Framework – Stocks and Flows

• Knowledge in economic networks is embodied (in people, relationships and instruments) as a stock,– informal skills and competences or formally articulated

• It is composed and disseminated (amongst these people, relationships and instruments) as a flow. – 'learning' by reflection upon experience– 'translation' from pre-existing knowledge in one format to

another, – 'dissemination' in one format or another between users.

• These processes draw from stocks and in turn contribute to these through the process of 'embodiment'.

Project Objectives

• Assess the current state of knowledge (its stocks and flows) in European regional economies, and to identify key trends within these and other aggregates (e.g. sectors, networks and markets, governance systems, education and science, social groups).

• Produce a model of 'economic knowledge micro-dynamics' - of the interaction over time of knowledge stocks and flows amongst networks of firms and others, starting in selected sectors and regions of Europe, and observing how these interactions extend organisationally and spatially.

• To use this analysis of knowledge micro-dynamics to develop methodologies and to calibrate macro-level indicators as a diagnostic tool for policy-makers, for the measurement of regional knowledge stocks and flows.

• Evaluate the contribution of these knowledge micro-dynamics to macro-level regional economic and social trajectories - to their performance in productivity growth and competitiveness as well as gender equality and social cohesion.

• Identify the conditions that have created the observed knowledge dynamics - including positive and negative path dependencies - in different sectors and regions across Europe.

• Identify the policy levers and coordination activities available to the EU and other levels of governance to enhance knowledge dynamics and their contribution to regional development and competitiveness, economic and social cohesion.

• Identify the specific gender issues generated by the knowledge economy.

Theoretical Inputs• Concepts

– Knowledge in the Economy– The knowledge Economy– Regional Knowledge Economy Policy

• Themes or Contexts– Firms– Markets and Networks– Governance– Education– Society

Empirical Work

• Sectoral Analysis– 6 sectors

• Quantitative Regional Analysis– Compile available statistics

• Qualitative Regional Analysis– 24+ regions

• Firm Case Studies– With inputs from the above researches

Outputs

• Knowledge Flow Model• Sectoral and Regional Comparisons• Knowledge Indicators• Policy Recommendations• Other

– Training– Dissemination to policy community

WP1 Concepts

Knowledge in the Economy The ‘Knowledge Economy’ Regional Knowledge Economy Policy

WP2 Themes

Firms Markets and Networks Governance Education Society

WP3 Sectoral Analysis

WP4 Quantitative Regional Analysis

WP5 Qualitative Regional Analysis

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WP6 Firm Case Studies

WPs7-9 Outputs

Knowledge Flow Model Sectoral and Regional Comparisons Knowledge Indicators Policy

       WP1concepts

WP2contexts

WP3sectors

WP5regional case studies

WP8sectoral synthesis

WP6firm-level case studies

WP4cross-regional

WP7regional synthesis

WP9project summation

Project Goals

• Overall goal is to contribute assist policy makers in their efforts to create the conditions for enhanced European economic performance

• The focus is on knowledge rather than innovation – whilst addressing the relationship between them

• Study focuses on regions, sectors and firms but aims to demonstrate rather than assume the role of these ‘units’ in the move to a knowledge based economy