Title: 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

Authors: Brenda Kenny; Harrie Vredenburg; Alastair Lucas

Addresses: 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

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: reflexive law; energy industry; environmental protection; entrepreneurship; Canada; industrial innovation; regional development; economic development; knowledge creation; oil and gas industry; sustainable development; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIRD.2012.045138

International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, 2012 Vol.4 No.1, pp.8 - 27

Published online: 23 Aug 2014 *

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