Regional Innovation Systems: Theory and Research = Action

Phil CookeCentre for Advanced Studies

Cardiff University

What Is An Innovation System?

• Set of Nodes in Innovation Chains• Systemic, Interactive Linkages• Knowledge Generation Firms & Institutions• Knowledge Exploitation Firms• Soft Infrastructure• Financing• Commercialisation and Marketing• Feedback and Policy Support

Regional Innovation Systems• Knowledge Generation & Exploitation Sub-systems• Organisational, process, product innovation• Radical, disruptive, recombination, incremental• Boundary-crossing problems identified• New institutions may be introduced or old ones re-

shaped• Participation by communities may occur where

concerns are shared e.g. food quality; climate change; jobs/skills for the future…….

• Cross-sectoral knowledge transfer opportunities e.g.‘lean university’; artificial joints from aerospace

Innovation System Methodology

• Identify Strong Sectors/Candidate Clusters• Investigate Regional Clusters• Identify Competitive Advantage• Identify Innovation Practices• Cooperative or Individualistic?• Innovation Support System

Innovation Support Organisations

• Audit of Regional Support Organisations• Examine Their Performance in

Technology, Governance, Training and Finance

• Innovation and Technological Environment• Specific Cooperation Relationships

Governance & Policy

• Multi-level Relationships• Regional Innovation System Potential?• Vision & Specific Organisation• Barriers & Change Agents• Future Growth/Sustainability Needs &

Prospects• Type of Innovation System• More ‘Entrepreneurial’ or ‘Social Market’?

Skåne Food Cluster • A regional agro-food innovation network established in Skåne in

1994 .A research-technology led governance structure,– Functional, Conventional– Organic foods excludedMethodology – main focus on functional food – Integration of Engineering (food technology), Nutrition,

Functional Foods etc.• High focus on future ’food-health’ markets BUT• Exclusion of Malmö ‘Food & Environment’ programme (100%

organic shool meals by 2012)• Neglect of Copenhagen’s Dogme (75% organic food in all municipal

kitchens by 2009)• 80% Sweden’s food market ‘institutional’; 20% private consumption

• Academe-biotechnology push too pronounced– research-industry, research-market gaps & inwardly focused

• Imbalance in governance– Local authority yet to fully integrate– Only 33% of Skåne agro-food firms engaged– Most are, large, conventional ‘cook-chill’ firms

• Exclusion of Organic Food Interests– Despite its fast market growth, big local ‘institutional’ markets (&

interaction with aspects of S&T e.g. breeding, genetic selection)• Better external Branding needed

– Slow opening out internationally, e.g. Mona Carota– International Food & Health Conference initiative commendable

Skåne Food Cluster: aspects for reflection

Finland: Lahti Region – Furniture to Nano

• The key aim is to explore market potentials of regional assets and capabilities,

• These explorations define regional development platforms in conceptual terms.

• Regional development platforms are asset configurations evolved from path dependencies aimed at examining and exploiting market potential,

• Regional platform actors include firms, intermediaries, knowledge centres, research, cultural and talent formation organisations,

• Regional platforms comprise industry and knowledge in context of techno-economic paradigm change or ‘global megatrends’ relevant to the specific region.

• Lahti RDPM model very advanced, expert panels, leadership, envisioning, new platforms

Lahti’s Nanotechnologies – from atom slices to bacteria & DNA

Lahti Regional Development Platform Method

• Seeking to construct regional advantage• After traditional furniture industry decline• Expert envisioning panels• Outside experts• Nanotechnologies for environmental and

healthcare platforms• Platforms link from Corn-Food-Biofuels-

Health-Sport-Environment Platform

Denmark - Aalborg: a Learning Approach

• Technical University – 1974• Wireless Radio (Mobile Telephone GSM

Infrastructure) FDI buys in• 2002 Wireless (3G-5G) applications. More FDI

buy-in, TI, Bellsouth, Motorola, Nokia• $100 million Community Cluster programme• Healthcare applications; e-Learning applications;

e-administration applications• Learning from Community (RILS)

NOVI Science Park, Aalborg

NorCOM

North Jutland Art-Food• Danish Culinary Institute, Aalborg• House of Taste – N. Jutland

– Training– Consultancy– Product Development

• Thisted, Lønstrup, Skagen – receptive to creative platform ideas

• Cuisine Courses in farm estates• Coastal Conservation Projects• Organic Farming-Ecological Farming• Women-Health-Food Network• Tourism – Skagen, Lokken, Lønstrup• Agro-Food Institute

Rogaland-Stavanger Culinary Innovation Platform

AquacultureResearch

Gastronomisk Institutt

‘Meat and Drink Arena’

University of StavangerHospitality and Tourism Management

Research on Omega 3 Food Enrichment

Regional, National and Global Supplier Industries (e.g. Horticulture, Organic Seafood and Meat, Non-organic Food, Ceramics, Wine, Beer and Spirits, Equity Finance, Culinary Law and Logistics, Chilling and Freezing, Restaurant Design)

Food Science Training Food High School Training

Government of Norway

Innovation NorwayRegions and Counties

Gourmet Chefs, Sommeliers & Waiters

Bocuse D’Or European Cuisine Championships, “Buffet”Chef, “Young Chefs” Competitions, “Green Fair, Gladmat, Food & Wine Festivals

Gourmet Restaurants ”Fusion” Restaurants Etc.

Stavanger-Rogaland ”Norway’s Finest Culinary Cluster”

RELATED VARIETY PLATFORM: Forestry Diversification

FORESTRY

Information TechnologySensors, measuring & controlComputational intelligence, simulation and machine visionMultimedia and telecommunicationTomography

Manufacturing TechnologyForestry machinesProcess & production machineryMaterials technology

FOREST INDUSTRYPulp & Paper TechnologyWood Products IndustryMachines, Machinery & Processes

Construction &

W

ood technologyW

ood modifying

Construction/archit

ectureLogistics,assem

bly

MarketsQualityPriceEnviron-mental

BiotechnologyEnzymesRot protectionGene technology

Chemical TechnologyBleachingSurface treatmentPigments, adhesives

Energy & Environ-

Mental Technology

Biofuels

Com

bustion Energy

savingEm

issions

Technology

Knowledge Base, Innovation System & Platform

Fig. 11: Conceptual Model Linking the Knowledge Base, the Innovation System and a Stylised Bio-Industrial Platform with Platform Policies (e.g. Combination of Training, Innovation, Environmental, Marketing, etc)

Scientific & Technological Knowledge Base, Research Centres of Excellence, Talent Formation of Industrial and Social Relevance

Biosciences

Chemistry

Physics

Engineering

Which One(s)....and Which Combinations? Which are Strong, which are Weak in the Region?

Related Variety Industry Platform

National & Regional Platform Policies

Knowledge Exploitation

National & Regional Innovation Systems

Knowledge Exploration

Petrochemicals>Biologics Plastics > Bioplastics Biopharmaceuticals & Medical

Conclusions• Construct/Reconstruct Regional Knowledge

Generation/Exploitation System• RIS Produces Regional Knowledge Flows

Linkages• Regional Knowledge Interactions Learn

External & Help Produce Internal Innovation• Global Drivers e.g. Sustainability, Climate

Change Regulation May Encourage Popular Participation?

• Smarter, Deeper ‘Knowledge Flows’ Measures help ‘Construct Advantage’ for the region