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1 – 10 of over 66000Cinzia Battistella and Roberto Pillon
The purpose of this paper is to propose and discuss a new regional foresight methodology.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and discuss a new regional foresight methodology.
Design/methodology/approach
The first part describes the methodology and the organizational process adopted for implementing foresight at the regional level and highlights the criticalities. The research methodology is based on a case study. The case is the analysis of the industrial and regional sectors and the technological families in the Lombardy region.
Findings
This methodology analyses trends, technologies and industries, returning a set of qualitative and quantitative indicators. Then, it aggregates them, building two matrixes (trends/technologies and technologies/industries). Finally, it evaluates the future importance of a technology (the attractiveness of a technology for the long-term competitiveness of the regional main industrial sectors) and the capabilities of the regional industrial, technical and scientific system to develop specific technologies (feasibility for the regional system to develop the chosen technology).
Originality/value
The originality lies in an integrated analysis of the possible futures and their relation with the industrial world. Its value is as a tool to suggest policies and R&D investments. It is possible to provide a sound basis for science and technology policymaking.
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Mari Jose Aranguren and Edurne Magro
This paper aims to contribute to understanding regional competitiveness policy-making and the role academic organisations can play in that process. Competitiveness policies have…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to contribute to understanding regional competitiveness policy-making and the role academic organisations can play in that process. Competitiveness policies have evolved in the past decades from a single to a multiple-domain field, which has made the policy-making process more complex by adding more actors with their particular experience and view. This complexity, together with the relevance of overcoming traditional policy implementation failures, pleads for a new approach to competitiveness policy-making, in which academic organisations can act as “anchor institutions”. This framework is based on the adaptive implementation concept.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses the Basque case to analyse the role of universities in competitiveness policy-making and focuses on a specific academic organisation, which has contributed through different projects to regional policy-making. Evidences from those projects through different policy phases are included in the case.
Findings
The case shows how academic organisations might play a key role in fostering an adaptive implementation approach in competitiveness policy-making at the regional level and which specific characteristics these organisations should develop to fulfil this role.
Originality/value
This paper brings together two important issues for regional competitiveness: the importance of policy implementation and the particular role of engaged universities in such a process.
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Robert Huggins, Brian Morgan and Nick Williams
This chapter reviews and critiques the recent evolution of place-based entrepreneurship policy in the United Kingdom, in particular the governance of policies targeted at the…
Abstract
Purpose
This chapter reviews and critiques the recent evolution of place-based entrepreneurship policy in the United Kingdom, in particular the governance of policies targeted at the regional level to promote economic development and competitiveness. The focus of the chapter is the evolution occurring from 1997, when the Labour government came to power, through to the period leading to the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government, which came to power in 2010.
Methodology/approach
A review and critique of key academic and policy-based literature.
Findings
The chapter shows the way in which governance systems and policies aimed at stimulating entrepreneurship have permeated regional development policy at a number of levels in the United Kingdom. In general, the overarching themes of enterprise policy are similar across the regions, but the difference in governance arrangements demonstrates how emphasis and delivery varies.
Practical implications
Place-based enterprise policy needs long-term commitment, with interventions required to survive changes in approaches to governance if they are to prove effective; something which has been far from the case in recent years. Whilst the analysis is drawn from the case of the United Kingdom, the lessons with regard to the connection between regional modes of governance and effective policy implementation are ones that resonate across other nations that are similarly seeking to stimulate the development of entrepreneurial regions.
Social implications
Evidence of ongoing disparities in regional economic development and competitiveness, linked to differences in regional business culture, suggest the continuance of market failure, whereby leading regions continue to attract resources and stimulate entrepreneurial opportunities at the expense of less competitive regions.
Originality/value of paper
The time period covered by the chapter – 1997 onwards – forms an historic era with regard to changing regional governance and enterprise policy in the United Kingdom, with the emergence – and subsequent demise – of regional development agencies (RDAs) across English regions, as well as the introduction of regional governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which were handed certain powers for economic and enterprise development from the UK central government.
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Bob Deacon, Philippe De Lombaerde, Maria Cristina Macovei and Sonja Schröder
This paper aims to review the case for improved (supra‐national) regional social and labour policies in principle, assess the extent to which existing regional associations of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the case for improved (supra‐national) regional social and labour policies in principle, assess the extent to which existing regional associations of governments and regional organizations are actually developing effective regional labour policies in different sub‐regions of Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia, and finally explore the driving forces behind their development and suggest how they might be further enhanced.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper compares the emergence of regional policies concerning labour rights and migrant workers' rights across regions. A sample of more than 15 regional arrangements are then ranked on the basis of their commitment in these areas. Finally, correlations between these rankings and different indicators of (real) regional interdependence are looked at.
Findings
The paper shows that regional socio‐economic policies are gaining importance in different world regions, although speeds are varied and generally low. It is difficult, however, to find strong correlations with indicators of regional interdependence such as trade or migration.
Originality/value
The paper presents one of the first systematic accounts of the development of regional socio‐economic policies in different world regions. It shows at the same time that huge opportunities for new policy initiatives exist in this area.
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This paper aims to discuss and present the regional-innovation cluster policy for R&D efficiency and the creative economy. In particular, the R&D efficiency and creative economy…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to discuss and present the regional-innovation cluster policy for R&D efficiency and the creative economy. In particular, the R&D efficiency and creative economy of Daedeok Innopolis are discussed for the science and technology policy of the R&D regional-innovation cluster. In this research, the region cluster policy change, the creative innovation system construction, the manpower system construction and the support unification for R&D and commercialization are presented as policy proposals for R&D efficiency and the creative economy.
Design/methodology/approach
In this research, the universities, research institutes and enterprises of Daedeok Innopolis were studied. Thirty people from the universities in the area, 30 from the research institutes and 30 from the enterprises were surveyed through the quota sampling of the non-probability sampling method for this research. These survey respondents were science and technology policy specialists for the R&D, industrialization and entrepreneurial activities of Daedeok Innopolis. The methodological material is a questionnaire. The study’s investigation factors were the government’s role, knowledge creation and the network. Also, F-test, ANOVA and chi-square independence test were utilized for the survey data analysis.
Findings
Regional-innovation cluster construction is a representative method of realizing regional development and competition enhancement. This research was found through the analysis that the government policy is very useful for innovation ecosystem development. The knowledge capability has been enhanced in connection with knowledge creation. Also, the network has been vitalized. New-dimension industry–university–institute collaboration and a human resource management system are needed for R&D efficiency and the creative economy. Daedeok Innopolis needs consistent support for industrialization and foundation.
Social implications
Movement of and cooperation among humans, goods, knowledge, technologies, etc., occur in many areas (science, the economy, culture, arts, etc.) because of the compression of time and space through informatization and globalization. This has brought about changes in cross-border, regional and national relations and has stimulated competition in the aforementioned areas. To date, a state-dominated system has been operated to deal with these changes, but it has been shown to be inefficient because it cannot reflect the conditions in the region and does not allow quick reaction. The advantages of the region must be identified and utilized to boost the survival and development of the region. Regional-innovation cluster construction is a representative method of realizing regional development and competition enhancement.
Originality/value
The innovative feature of the study is proposed the science and technology policy (the region cluster policy change, the creative innovation system construction, the manpower system construction and the support unification for R&D and commercialization) for the R&D regional-innovation cluster through the survey data analysis. In this paper, the R&D efficiency and the creative economy of Daedeok Innopolis are discussed for the science and technology policy of the R&D regional-innovation cluster. The science and technology policy for the R&D regional-innovation cluster development is examined for the first time in this paper. This research is expected to make a significant contribution to the establishment of a development strategy for the regional-innovation cluster, and to the decision-making regarding the science and technology policy.
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Graham Currie and Alexa Delbosc
Purpose — This chapter overviews the field survey results. It includes simple tabulations of transport-related survey results, analysis of transport problems, the impact of fuel…
Abstract
Purpose — This chapter overviews the field survey results. It includes simple tabulations of transport-related survey results, analysis of transport problems, the impact of fuel price increases, home location decisions, forced car ownership (FCO) analysis and coping strategies with low/zero-car ownership. Some preliminary analysis is undertaken of realised trip rates and correlations of elements of the survey results.
Methodology — Methodology concerns the quantitative statistical analysis of survey findings including some simple correlation tests.
Findings — Over half the sample faced difficulty accessing activities because of transport problems. Between 1 and 10% identified activities they cannot do because of transport problems (a higher share in Latrobe).
Nearly half had changed travel habits because of petrol price increases most commonly increasing the activities completed on each trip (trip linking). Affordability was the most important reason for home location. A quarter of those who helped decide where to live now wish they had considered other factors most commonly living closer to public transport. FCO households agreed that transport costs were high and used a diverse range of strategies to reduce costs. A high majority said their choices were limited; however, many also liked the mobility and home location choices they had made.
Results also show a strong positive link between income, employment, car ownership and mobility. Social exclusion and well-being have a negative correlation at a high level of statistical significance.
Marie McHugh, Eddie McAleer, Kate Greenan and Patrick McNamee
Outlines the anticipated effects of the Channel Tunnel on thetransportation of goods from a peripheral region. Argues that thecombined effects of the Single European Market and…
Abstract
Outlines the anticipated effects of the Channel Tunnel on the transportation of goods from a peripheral region. Argues that the combined effects of the Single European Market and the opening of the Channel Tunnel are likely to disadvantage industries within peripherally‐located regions such as Scotland, the North of England, Wales and Ireland. Presents some findings from a study which was carried out within Northern Ireland to assess the vulnerability of peripherally‐located firms to the effects of forthcoming events. The findings, based on 89 firms within five industrial sectors, highlight a need for regional firms to enhance their awareness of the effects which the Channel Tunnel is likely to have on performance and hence a need to prepare for this forthcoming infrastructure development.
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Nina Magomedova, Fariza Achcaoucaou and Paloma Miravitlles
The aim of this study is to explore the drivers of the evolution of a subsidiary’s strategic role from an ordinary subsidiary into a springboard subsidiary in multinational…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to explore the drivers of the evolution of a subsidiary’s strategic role from an ordinary subsidiary into a springboard subsidiary in multinational corporations, paying special attention to the role of subsidiary management in this transformation.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply a case study methodology to analyse the transformation of three Spanish subsidiaries of European multinational companies into springboard subsidiaries to pursue opportunities in the Latin American region.
Findings
The results present evidence that the development of a springboard subsidiary’s role is influenced by a set of preliminary factors that include: (1) the coincidence of a favourable economic change in the target region of expansion and unfavourable market conditions in the springboard subsidiary’s home market; (2) location-specific advantages of a subsidiary that allow it to develop unique capabilities, such as the ability to reduce the psychic distance between the headquarters and target region, to balance intra-regional conflicts within the target region, and to effectively transfer knowledge from the headquarters to the target region; and (3) micro-political headquarters-subsidiary negotiation processes as a result of the subsidiary’s strong initiative, peculiarities of the structure of a multinational company, and a strong dependency of the headquarters on the subsidiary’s unique capabilities.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the International Business literature by providing an in-depth analysis of the evolution of springboard subsidiaries and explaining how ordinary subsidiaries located in saturated markets can trigger organisational change and achieve the extension of their strategic role.
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Maurício Ragagnin Pimentel and Melise de Lima Pereira
This study aims to: (1) describe the spatial distribution of tourism in Brazil; (2) assess Brazilian tourism growth and its location between 2007 and 2016; (3) discuss the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to: (1) describe the spatial distribution of tourism in Brazil; (2) assess Brazilian tourism growth and its location between 2007 and 2016; (3) discuss the implications of the findings to the understanding of tourism in Brazil and (4) debate about the methodological specifics of this work.
Design/methodology/approach
Thematic cartography is used to explore and analyze tourism spatial distribution in Brazil. The proxy used was the number of jobs in the lodging industry in the years of 2007 and 2016, available at the Ministry of Labor RAIS data set. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank correlation and Ward's method for cluster analysis were applied in the construction procedures of this three-step process method.
Findings
The uneven distribution of tourism across the country and its concentration in specific areas of the Brazilian territory are presented in three thematic maps. Between 2007 and 2016 most of the growth in accommodation jobs has been in already established tourist destinations. There is a softening of accommodation Jobs concentration in large metropolises, and a trend that this growth takes place in more tourism specialized cities. Nevertheless, it is in small cities where tourism plays a significant role in changing local economies.
Originality/value
It presents and discusses Brazilian tourism spatial distribution. It assesses the whole national territory, with data broken at the country's smallest administrative level. It uses a data set that is still original in tourism literature. It considers previous research on spatial distribution and proposes a new method.
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The paper seeks to examine the evolving international strategies of Europe's incumbent telecommunications operators. The aim is to develop a typology of how these different…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to examine the evolving international strategies of Europe's incumbent telecommunications operators. The aim is to develop a typology of how these different operators have sought to position themselves within an internationalising marketplace.
Design/methodology/approach
The objectives of the paper were addressed through a multiple case study analysis of 15 incumbent telecommunication operators within Western Europe. The approach was essentially strategic, seeking to develop an awareness of how each of these operators' corporate strategy has adapted to the challenges of internationalisation. The nature of this response will be defined by a broad typology.
Findings
Four types of strategy were found to exist, most of which were defined by the scale of the business. The research found that most operators were developing international strategies based on developing an effective competitive presence in the European region. There was only limited evidence of operators developing a global strategy. Some operators have attempted such a strategy but have since retreated from such offensive strategies.
Originality/value
The work highlights how businesses that have a dominant core domestic market are affected by internationalisation in both a proactive and a reactive manner.
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