Innovation strategy choices in the urban economy

Herstad, Sverre J.

doi:10.1177/0042098017692941

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 74 publications

(107 reference statements)

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“…The authors argue that regions differ in their needs, attractiveness, and absorption capacity for accessing extra-regional knowledge. Building on advances in internationalisation theory, Herstad (2017) argues that regions differ in the incentives and resources they provide to local firms in support of internationalisation.…”

Section: Differentiated Ris and Global Knowledge Flowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional Innovation Systems and Global Flows of Knowledge

Martin

Aslesen

Grillitsch

et al. 2018

New Avenues for Regional Innovation Systems - Theoretical Advances, Empirical Cases and Policy Lessons

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The literature on regional innovation systems emphasizes the role of the region as locus for interactive learning and knowledge exchange, stressing the importance of (geographical) proximity for innovation (Asheim and Gertler 2005). Even though the importance of extra-regional knowledge is widely acknowledged (Trippl et al. 2015), there has been only little emphasis on the particular role and the nature of global knowledge flows. The aim of this chapter is to explore the differentiated nature of global knowledge flows in regional innovation systems. We provide an overview of the different ways firms can gain access to global knowledge sources. Identified knowledge sourcing channels include international R&D collaborations, foreign direct investments, personally embedded relationships, international mobility of skilled labour, virtual communities and online platforms, and the participation in temporary clusters such as fairs, exhibitions, and conferences (Maskell et al. 2006, Aslesen and Sardo 2016). Depending on regional innovation system preconditions, firms use and combine different knowledge sourcing channels to access global knowledge. Firms in organisationally thick and diversified regional innovation systems have a geographical advantage in accessing knowledge globally, but even firms in peripheral areas can exchange knowledge worldwide, due to improved means of transport and communication at distance. Furthermore, not only multinational companies that are dominated by analytical or synthetic knowledge bases, but even small and medium sized enterprises in symbolic industries are often deeply involved in global knowledge sourcing activities. We illustrate our arguments with interview data collected among New Media firms in southern Sweden and in the Oslo Region in Norway.

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Section: Differentiated Ris and Global Knowledge Flowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional Innovation Systems and Global Flows of Knowledge

Martin

Aslesen

Grillitsch

et al. 2018

New Avenues for Regional Innovation Systems - Theoretical Advances, Empirical Cases and Policy Lessons

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, learning-by-recruiting and uncontrolled spillovers associated with job-hopping in urban contexts may reduce the emphasis of firms on own innovation efforts (Herstad 2018b), meaning that the relationship predicted in Hypothesis 2b might become less pronounced, even absent. In extension, firms located outside urban regions may develop broader extra-regional network ties (e.g.…”

Section: H4: the Relationship Between Experience Variety And Innovation Depend On Whether Firms Engage In In-house Randdmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collected worker experiences and the novelty content of innovation

2020

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In this paper we investigate whether the novelty content of innovations introduced by Norwegian manufacturing firms reflect the composition of work-life experiences collected by employees. Distinguishing between 'related' (RV) and 'unrelated' (URV) variety and using employer-employee registers merged with Community Innovation Survey data to observe experiences prior to innovation strategies and results, we find the probability of incremental innovation increasing strongly with RV when firms are located in a large-city region. URV provide additional support for incremental innovation among firms that are not R&D active, and increases more generally the probability of radical (new-to-the world) innovation.However, these relationships flatten out at moderate levels, and the maximum impact of URV on radical innovation is limited compared to the average impact of firms' R&D efforts. Thus, whereas incremental innovation is highly receptive to related worker experiences when collected and combined in urban contexts, radical innovation depend to a larger degree on the innovation strategies and efforts of the firm itself.

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“…Innovation activity is captured by the variable ACTIVE that takes on the value 1 if firms reported innovation-related expenditures, positive outcomes or abandoned activities during the reference period; or ongoing and not yet finalized projects (e.g. Herstad, 2018b). Innovation output is captured by the variable PRODUCT that takes on the value 1 if firms introduced a new or significantly improved product (goods or service) onto the market.…”

Section: Innovation Activity and Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning through urban labour pools: Collected worker experiences and innovation in services

2019

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Knowledge-intensive services firms (KIS) depend on the skills and networks of employees, and tend to cluster in large-city regions. This raises the fundamental question of whether KIS 'learn through urban labour pools' in manners that have implications for innovation. To address it, a distinction is in this paper made between 'related variety' (RV) and 'unrelated variety' (URV) of work-life experiences collected by employees and combined in firms. The empirical analysis uses innovation survey and register data to demonstrate that higher levels of URV among staff in urban KIS inspire innovation activity, and increase the probability of innovation success. Outside cities, where KIS on average have more specialised knowledge bases, innovation responds negatively to URV and positively to RV. As a result, the sign, size and significance of urban-rural dividing lines in innovation propensities depend on whether firms have cultivated the skill profiles that are most conducive to innovation in their locations. Constraints faced specifically by KIS outside cities in this respect are identified and implications for policy drawn. Work with this paper has benefitted from discussions with Ron Boschma and Ingvild Jøranli. It utilizes the methodology originally developed by Tore Sandven of NIFU with funding from the Research Council of Norway (DEMOSREG program, contract number 209769). The usual disclaimers apply.

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Innovation strategy choices in the urban economy

Cited by 24 publications

References 74 publications

Regional Innovation Systems and Global Flows of Knowledge

Regional Innovation Systems and Global Flows of Knowledge

Collected worker experiences and the novelty content of innovation

Learning through urban labour pools: Collected worker experiences and innovation in services

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