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Regional Branching and Regional Innovation Policy

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Drivers of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Regional Dynamics

Part of the book series: Advances in Spatial Science ((ADVSPATIAL))

Abstract

Regional diversification is high on the scientific and political agenda. As many regions are currently facing economic decline due to the economic crisis, there is increasing awareness that there is a need to develop new economic activities, in order to compensate for losses in other parts of their regional economies. Economic geographers have raised the question how to develop new growth paths in regions over and over again, but this question has largely remained unanswered until recently (Scott 1988; Storper and Walker 1989; Martin and Sunley 2006; Simmie and Carpenter 2007). For instance, there is still little understanding of how old industrial regions may overcome structural problems, such as congestion, overspecialization, a bad image, and inflexible institutions, which, according to many, make them unlikely places for new industries to emerge. However, some do quite well, while others do not, but there is still little known what are the reasons behind that (Hassink 2005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economic Geography, University of Utrecht, 80 115, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Ron Boschma

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  1. Ron Boschma
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Correspondence to Ron Boschma .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Spatial Economics, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

    Karima Kourtit

  2. , Department of Spatial Economics, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

    Peter Nijkamp

  3. School of Public Policy, George Mason University, University Drive 4400, Fairfax, 22030, Virgin Islands, USA

    Roger R. Stough

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Boschma, R. (2011). Regional Branching and Regional Innovation Policy. In: Kourtit, K., Nijkamp, P., Stough, R. (eds) Drivers of Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Regional Dynamics. Advances in Spatial Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17940-2_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17940-2_17

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