Learning regions as development coalitions

Abstract

The understanding of post-Fordist societies as learning economies, in which learning organizations such as learning firms and learning regions play a strategic role, has lately received some criticism. The critique has partly pointed at the structural limits to learning in a capitalist global economy, and partly argued that firms in capitalist societies have always been learning, referring especially to the role of innovation in inter-firm competition. Against the critics, it is argued that the learning region has great potential, both as a theoretical and normative concept and as a practical metaphor for formulating regional policy.

The Effects of Exogenous Shocks on the Development of Regional Innovation Systems

“…This view of RIS denotes the optimal composition of ingredients and thus represents an extreme perspective. Asheim (2001) extended the concept by illustrating that sub-optimal RIS also exist, despite being limited by different types of, and degrees of, deficiencies. The author related the different deficiencies of RIS to three typical "problem regions": peripheral regions, old industrial regions, and fragmented metropolitan regions, and proposed a number of tailor-made innovation policies to handle these deficiencies.…”

“…For example, Asheim andCoenen (2005, p. 1173) define a RIS as a " […] constellation of industrial clusters surrounded by innovation supporting organisations". Cooke et al ( , p. 1581 While the former definition specifically includes the concepts of clusters and innovation, the latter definition views RIS more loosely.…”

Local Knowledge and Innovation Policy

“…Asheim (2001) highlights how territorial-based complexes are becoming a regular way to re-create knowledge at the local level, which certainly, but not exclusively, concerns the performance and survival of firms and extends the issue more deeply into the interests of development policy and regional awareness. The degree of strategic responsibility taken at the regional administrative level in what concerns the design and execution of innovation policy tools becomes unavoidable, particularly in Europe where there is frequently a lack of complementary efforts between national innovation policies and regional governance structures.…”

How Industrial Clusters and Regional Innovation Systems Impact the Knowledge Innovation Within the Taiwanese Science-Based Parks Firms?

“…These task-oriented clusters include suppliers of specialized inputs such as components, machinery and services, and providers of specialized infrastructure (Asheim 2007). The term 'industrial cluster' refers to the firms and institutions in close proximity to each other in a particular field and area maintaining an interactive relationship, influencing and supporting each other, where production efficiency is achieved and externalities are created through a fine division of labor.…”

“…In Taiwan, government and agencies at all levels and regions seek to stimulate innovation, and consequently innovation policy is located at the centre of policies for promoting regional and national economic development. At the regional level, clusters and regional innovation systems have been looked upon as policy frameworks or models for the implementation of long-term, development strategies that facilitate learning-based processes of innovation, change, and improvement (Asheim 2001;Asheim and Isaksen 2002;Cooke 1998). Fernandez-Ribas and Shapira (2009) also argue that policy formulation for regional innovation systems must consider multiple impacts; the systemic measures of innovation must tally enterprise objectives with policy formulation.…”