Title: Institutional features, path dependencies and regional industrial change: comparing mature and embryonic clusters in an old industrial region

Authors: Andrew Cumbers, Joseph Leibovitz, Danny MacKinnon

Addresses: Centre for Public Policy for Regions, Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK. ' Institute of Geography, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, Scotland, UK. ' Department of Geography, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK

Abstract: A focus on constructing regional advantage requires an |unpacking| of what makes territorial agglomerations important for innovation and competitiveness by disclosing and revealing the contingencies, particularities and specificities of the various contexts and environments where knowledge creation, innovation and entrepreneurship take place. In order to achieve more effective regional innovation policy, this paper presents and discusses three dimensions along which such unpacking can take place. These dimensions refer to (1) specific industrial knowledge bases, (2) globally distributed knowledge networks and (3) different territorial competence bases.

Keywords: regional development policy; industrial clusters; biotechnology; energy industrial complex; Scotland; innovation management; knowledge creation; entrepreneurship; regional innovation policy; knowledge networks; territorial competence; institutional features; path dependencies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIM.2007.012892

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, 2007 Vol.7 No.2/3/4/5, pp.424 - 444

Published online: 21 Mar 2007 *

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