International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=234&year=2012&vol=4&issue=1 Inderscience Publishers Ltd en-uk International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development 1753-0660 1753-0679 © 2012 Inderscience Publishers Ltd editor@inderscience.com https://www.inderscience.com/images/files/coverImgs/ijird_scoverijird.jpg http://www.inderscience.com/browse/index.php?journalID=234&year=2012&vol=4&issue=1 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=45138 Social and environmental pressures are having a profound effect on natural resource firms and regional development. The traditional application of law has fallen short in addressing these new societal pressures. This paper uses an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on management and legal scholarship, to explain how stakeholder generated managerial knowledge creation and innovation may be stimulated by innovative approaches to the application of natural resources law. Using the Canadian oil and gas industry as a case study, the article shows that this new managerial knowledge, in turn, provides firms and the regional industry with competitive advantage. In resource-based regional economies facing pressure from global societal calls for sustainable development, law and how it is applied is a critical variable in fostering corporate innovation and regional development. The new role of law in stimulating industrial innovation and regional development: the Canadian experience with reflexive law in reconciling economic development, environmental protection and entrepreneurship in the energy industry
Brenda Kenny; Harrie Vredenburg; Alastair Lucas
International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 8 - 27
Social and environmental pressures are having a profound effect on natural resource firms and regional development. The traditional application of law has fallen short in addressing these new societal pressures. This paper uses an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on management and legal scholarship, to explain how stakeholder generated managerial knowledge creation and innovation may be stimulated by innovative approaches to the application of natural resources law. Using the Canadian oil and gas industry as a case study, the article shows that this new managerial knowledge, in turn, provides firms and the regional industry with competitive advantage. In resource-based regional economies facing pressure from global societal calls for sustainable development, law and how it is applied is a critical variable in fostering corporate innovation and regional development.

]]> 10.1504/IJIRD.2012.045138 International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 8 - 27 Brenda Kenny; Harrie Vredenburg; Alastair Lucas Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, Scurfield Hall 343, 2500 University Drive NW, 215 Campus Place N.W., Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada; Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, Faculty of Law, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy, University of Calgary, #1860, 205 – 5th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 2V7, Canada. ' Haskayne School of Business, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy, University of Calgary, Scurfield Hall 495, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada. ' Faculty of Law, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy, University of Calgary, Murray Fraser Hall, MFH4398, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada reflexive law energy industry environmental protection entrepreneurship Canada industrial innovation regional development economic development knowledge creation oil and gas industry sustainable development sustainability. 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 8 27 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=45139 E-business is about more than just technology. It's about thinking what your customers need and adopting web-enabled and other information and communication technologies to increase business performance and success. Web-based technologies can be used to build relationships with customers, automate ordering, allow secure payment, speed processes and significantly reduce costs. Whatever the nature of the business and its deliverables (i.e., goods, services, or even parts to a factory), a coordination of its activities using technology is needed in order to make the most of streamlined and tightly integrated business processes. Therefore, it is essential for the e-business organisations to run in a business excellence environment. This paper seeks to present and explain a proposed systematic framework that enables organisations to develop self-assessment processes towards e-business excellence. Towards a systematic e-business excellence framework
Loukas K. Tsironis; Alexandros G. Psychogios
International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 28 - 43
E-business is about more than just technology. It's about thinking what your customers need and adopting web-enabled and other information and communication technologies to increase business performance and success. Web-based technologies can be used to build relationships with customers, automate ordering, allow secure payment, speed processes and significantly reduce costs. Whatever the nature of the business and its deliverables (i.e., goods, services, or even parts to a factory), a coordination of its activities using technology is needed in order to make the most of streamlined and tightly integrated business processes. Therefore, it is essential for the e-business organisations to run in a business excellence environment. This paper seeks to present and explain a proposed systematic framework that enables organisations to develop self-assessment processes towards e-business excellence.

]]> 10.1504/IJIRD.2012.045139 International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 28 - 43 Loukas K. Tsironis; Alexandros G. Psychogios Technical University of Crete, Kounoupidiana, Campus, 73100, Chania, Crete GR, Greece. ' City College, An International Faculty of The University of Sheffield, 13 Tsimiski Str., 54624, Thessaloniki, Greece e-business excellence excellence framework self-assessment business excellence electronic business. 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 28 43 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=45140 The regional dynamics of energy innovation, in particular the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the EU, is discussed within the framework of neo-Schumpeterian theory. The EU's 4.2% average annual growth in renewable energy production in the last decade has been accompanied by diverging performances among the EU countries. Regional performances within a country also vary. The periphery regions seem to underperform, as is shown for five regions in Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK. Cases of innovation networks in five forerunning regions, in Austria, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, suggest that the development of renewable energy emerges from social innovations aimed at regional development, and it is driven by those change agents that can pull together national and regional policy instruments for project implementation. Based on an assessment of a province in the Netherlands, it is concluded that this development leads to the socially beneficial scaling up of renewable energy, albeit requiring capital at low interest rates. Renewable energy in European regions
Yoram Krozer
International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 44 - 59
The regional dynamics of energy innovation, in particular the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the EU, is discussed within the framework of neo-Schumpeterian theory. The EU's 4.2% average annual growth in renewable energy production in the last decade has been accompanied by diverging performances among the EU countries. Regional performances within a country also vary. The periphery regions seem to underperform, as is shown for five regions in Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK. Cases of innovation networks in five forerunning regions, in Austria, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, suggest that the development of renewable energy emerges from social innovations aimed at regional development, and it is driven by those change agents that can pull together national and regional policy instruments for project implementation. Based on an assessment of a province in the Netherlands, it is concluded that this development leads to the socially beneficial scaling up of renewable energy, albeit requiring capital at low interest rates.

]]> 10.1504/IJIRD.2012.045140 International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 44 - 59 Yoram Krozer Centre for Studies on Technology and Sustainable Development (CSTM), University Twente/Sustainable Innovations Academy, Iepenplein 44, 1091JR Amsterdam, The Netherlands regional dynamics energy innovation renewable energy costs benefits regions investment policy neo-Schumpeterian theory EU European Union regional performance regional development innovation networks social innovation capital investment low interest rates. 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 44 59 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=45141 This paper aims to give an overview of the extant literature on the various aspects related to social capital (definition, conceptual framework(s), and empirical research), especially with regard to cluster development and place-based learning. The paper also aims to extend the discourse on social capital as it relates to firm learning in transition economies, in particular South East Europe. The paper finds that while there is significant evidence of an apparent link between social capital and the economic and innovative performance of firms and the places in which they are located, the differing definitions and measures used to capture these links leads to an interpretive fuzziness across the literature as a whole. It is further found that the lack of social capital among firms in South East Europe, as manifested by low levels of trust, is potentially a key barrier undermining the development of industrial clusters. Social capital, clusters, and interpretive fuzziness: a survey of the key literature (with specific reference to economic development in South East Europe)
Amira Vejzagic-Ramhorst; Panayiotis H. Ketikidis; Robert Huggins
International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 60 - 78
This paper aims to give an overview of the extant literature on the various aspects related to social capital (definition, conceptual framework(s), and empirical research), especially with regard to cluster development and place-based learning. The paper also aims to extend the discourse on social capital as it relates to firm learning in transition economies, in particular South East Europe. The paper finds that while there is significant evidence of an apparent link between social capital and the economic and innovative performance of firms and the places in which they are located, the differing definitions and measures used to capture these links leads to an interpretive fuzziness across the literature as a whole. It is further found that the lack of social capital among firms in South East Europe, as manifested by low levels of trust, is potentially a key barrier undermining the development of industrial clusters.

]]> 10.1504/IJIRD.2012.045141 International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 60 - 78 Amira Vejzagic-Ramhorst; Panayiotis H. Ketikidis; Robert Huggins South East Europe Research Centre, SEERC, 24 Proxenou Koromila Street, Thessaloniki, Greece. ' Department of Computer Science, City College, 13 Tsimiski Str, 54624 Thessaloniki, Greece. ' Centre for Advanced Studies, Cardiff School of City and Regional Planning, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WA, UK social capital cluster development place-based learning networks industrial clusters South East Europe SEE literature review transition economies innovative performance economic performance firm performance interpretive fuzziness. 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 60 78 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=45142 Higher education institutions are traditionally seen as producers of new scientific and practical knowledge and technology. However, a repositioning is taking place due to cooperation in value networks, co-created innovations, the contributions of lead innovations and regional development that has an impact on social and global improvement. Currently, new forms of action, integration and collaboration are required for the creation of innovation in services, technology, the economy and society. This study presents the two action research cycles that address regional development within Laurea University of Applied Sciences. Both cycles include an evaluation by the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council. The aim of the actualisation is to continuously integrate the three statutory tasks of universities of applied sciences: education, research and development, and regional development. An action research approach: the actualisation of the three statutory tasks: education, research and development, and regional development
Rauno Pirinen
International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 79 - 95
Higher education institutions are traditionally seen as producers of new scientific and practical knowledge and technology. However, a repositioning is taking place due to cooperation in value networks, co-created innovations, the contributions of lead innovations and regional development that has an impact on social and global improvement. Currently, new forms of action, integration and collaboration are required for the creation of innovation in services, technology, the economy and society. This study presents the two action research cycles that address regional development within Laurea University of Applied Sciences. Both cycles include an evaluation by the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council. The aim of the actualisation is to continuously integrate the three statutory tasks of universities of applied sciences: education, research and development, and regional development.

]]> 10.1504/IJIRD.2012.045142 International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2012) pp. 79 - 95 Rauno Pirinen Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Vanha maantie 9, Espoo FI-0260, Finland action research higher education innovation regional development research and development R& D transformations Finland universities applied sciences value networks co-creation. 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00 4 1 79 95 2012-01-27T23:20:50-05:00