innovation in peripheral areas sara davies uk~irc innovation research initiative - distributed...
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Innovation in Peripheral Areas
Sara Davies
UK~IRC Innovation Research Initiative - Distributed projects meeting, 18 January
2011
Funded by the UK Innovation Centre (BIS, ESRC, NESTA and TSB)
Sara Davies, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde2
Outline of the study
• Research ideas and questions– Proximity-based interactions drive innovation and
geographical economic disparities– What kinds of innovation occur in peripheral,
sparsely populated regions? What shapes innovation in such regions?
• Research design– Interviews with practitioners in UK plus Austria,
Finland, Norway and Sweden– Two international events with practitioners &
researchers– 3 discussion papers (sectors, conditions, methods)
Sara Davies, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde3
Initial findings (1): Evidence of innovation on the periphery
• A few exceptional peripheral places with leading firms in global markets (e.g. telecoms, oil/gas engineering) – role of policy in building conditions for innovation
• External/local expertise/R&D exploiting embedded natural resources (e.g. sea/tides, cold weather)
• Developing new ways of doing things to serve large external markets (home working, image-based marketing) – expansion of opportunities due to ICT
• Developing solutions to local problems (e.g. tele-medicine, social enterprise) with potential wider application
Sara Davies, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde4
Initial findings (2): A different context for innovation
• Weaknesses linked to lack of / distance from critical mass of people & organisations
• Some strengths e.g. high self-employment, hidden skills, niche R&D, active networking
• Importance of openness to allow access to finance, research, competition, demand – so need ICT & human networking
• Importance of skills to create/exploit opportunities – so need to retain/attract people & build effective education & training systems
Sara Davies, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde5
Initial findings (3):Methodological challenges
• Survey data not robust at regional level– Number of firms surveyed per region (e.g. CIS)– Number of firms active in each sector– Data on conditions (e.g. broadband)
• Possible solutions:– Expand existing surveys for regional coverage– Link regional case studies to robust national
surveys/studies– Use alternative indicators of conditions or ad
hoc (comparative) studies
Sara Davies, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde6
Outcomes & next steps
• KE with practitioners & researchers – Workshop: practitioners from Austria, Norway,
Cornwall, Scotland, Wales, [Ireland, Sweden]– Seminar: papers from Denmark, Finland, Norway,
Sweden, UK (England & Scotland)– Invitations to speak in UK (Scottish Parliament,
Highlands & Islands) and Finland (National Innovation Forum)
• Publications: book chapter, 2 conference papers, 2 articles in preparation
• University funding (£18.5k) to develop further bids and publications
Sara Davies, European Policies Research Centre, University of Strathclyde7
Thank you for listening
http://www.eprc.strath.ac.uk/irr