Learning for Innovation in the Global Knowledge Economy

Dimitrios Konstadakopulos

Description

This book is a major step forward in understanding the learning behaviour of clustered technology-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing upon qualitative and quantitative research methods and sampling techniques, it identifies how learning for innovation is stimulated or inhibited. An informative, challenging and comprehensive empirical study and analysis, this book will be useful to scholars and students of regional development, European and Asian relations, development economics, and management studies. It will also be a valuable reference to decision-makers, policy analysts and international businessmen seeking to understand how the process of learning and acquisition of knowledge could improve the innovative performance, growth and competitiveness of firms in which they are located.

Sujets

• Efficacité professionnelle
• Efficacité
• Cultural Studies
• Business
• Development
• Accountancy
• Economics
• Economic growth
• Development economics
• Skill
• Employabilité, métiers et formations
• Accounting
• Managerial
• Economic Development
• Strategic Planning
• Skills

Informations

• Publié par: Intellect Books
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 2004
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781841508986
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Learning for Innovation in the Global Knowledge Economy
A European and South-East Asian Perspective
by Dimitrios Konstadakopulos
Centre for European Studies,
University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
First published in UK in 2004 by
Intellect Books , PO Box 862, Bristol BS99 1DE, UK
First published in USA in 2004 by
Intellect Books , ISBS, 920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, Oregon 97213-3786, USA
Copyright 2004 Intellect Ltd.
All rights whatsoever in this work are strictly reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission.
Copy Editor: Holly Spradling
Cover Design: Gabriel Solomons
A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library.
Electronic ISBN 1-84150-898-5 / ISBN 1-84150-085-2
Printed in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This study draws from projects supported by the Higher Education Regional Development Fund (Department for Education and Employment of the United Kingdom) (1998), the European Union's European Studies Programme (1999) and the Committee of South-East Asia Studies of the British Academy (2001). Each of these sources of financial support is gratefully acknowledged.
The author of this book is also grateful to the managers of regional companies in the West of England, Singapore and Johor, officials of local and regional institutions, and others, including an anonymous referee, who have given their time and expertise to provide information for this study and comment on the findings.
To the memory of my mother, Spyridoula
Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
The origins of the research
The main research questions
The structure of the book
Part I:
The Embeddedness of Innovation in Regional Agglomerations
Chapter 1:
Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship
1.1 Innovative Environments and the Importance of Proximity
1.2 The Concept of the 'Innovative Milieu'
1.3 The Evolutionary Theory of Technological Change
1.4 The Importance of Agglomeration or Cluster Economies
1.5 Re-conceptualising the Role of Learning in Regional Development
1.6 The Exploitation of Collective Learning: An Easy and Inexpensive Way to Innovate
1.7 The Importance of Networking for SMEs
Chapter 2:
Technological Innovation Policies in the EU and ASEAN Economies
2.1 The Emerging Global Knowledge Economy
2.2 The Evolutionary Development of Technological Policy in Europe
2.2.1 Policy Patterns in European Regional Agglomerations
2.2.2 The Industrial District of the West of England
2.3 The Evolving Nature of Technological Policy in ASEAN
2.3.1 Singapore: Building a Capacity for Learning
2.3.2 Malaysia's Technological Development
2.3.3 The State of Johor: the Southern Gateway to Malaysia
2.3.4 The Singapore-Johor Cross-Border Agglomeration and the Logic of Spillover
2.4 EU-ASEAN Technological Co-operation
Part II:
The Empirical Comparative Analysis
Chapter 3:
Innovation in the West of England
3.1 The Profile of Innovative Regional Firms
3.2 Regional Innovators and their Sources of Innovation
3.3 Regional Collaboration in Product and Process Development
3.4 Inter-firm Linkages, Networks and Collaboration
3.5 The Effect of Regional Specific Advantages on Firms' Development
3.6 The Collective Learning Experience and Regional Channels of Knowledge Acquisition
Chapter 4:
Innovation in the Singapore-Johor Agglomeration
4.1 The Profile of Innovative Regional Firms
4.2 Regional Innovators and their Sources of Innovation
4.3 Regional Collaboration in Product and Process Development
4.4 Inter-firm Linkages, Networks and Collaboration
4.5 The Effect of Regional Specific Advantages on Firms' Development
4.6 The Collective Learning Experience and Regional Channels of Knowledge Acquisition
Chapter 5:
A Comparative Analysis of Patterns of Learning Behaviour and Co-operation in the West of England and Singapore-Johor
5.1 A Statistical Analysis of the West of England Sample Survey
5.2 A Statistical Analysis of the Singapore-Johor Sample Survey
5.3 Industrial Districts, Innovative Milieux, Growth Triangles or Global Knowledge Economies?
Part III: Policy Lessons and Implications
Chapter 6:
The Relevance of the Economic, Political and Social Environments of Europe and South-East Asia
6.1 Market Cultures in the Economies of Europe and South-East Asia
6.1.1 Competing Models of Development
6.1.2 Implications for Policy
6.2 Recommendations: Facilitating the Development of Knowledge-intensive Enterprises
Bibliography
Appendix
Index
List of Tables
Table 2.1
Johor: Approved Projects by Country of Origin (1993-1997)
Table 2.2
Salient Issues in Complementarities between Singapore and Johor
Table 3.1
Size and Location of Sampled Firms used in the 1998-99 Survey in the West of England
Table 3.2
Innovation Output of Firms in Manufacturing and Services (1993-1998) in Three Urban Agglomerations in the West of England, and Average R&D Intensity in 1998
Table 3.3
Principal Input of Learning for the Most Important Innovations for Firms in the West of England
Table 3.4
Relationships with Suppliers and Subcontractors
Table 3.5
Geographical Location of Firms' Collaborating Suppliers and Subcontractors
Table 3.6
Destination of Sales
Table 3.7
Contributions to the Innovation Process by Firms' Customers
Table 3.8
The Importance of Local/Regional Links in the West of England
Table 3.9
Informal Contacts with Managers or Professionals from Other Local/Regional
Companies
Table 3.10
Regional Specific Advantages for Firms' Development
Table 3.11
Help or Advice Firms Received from Local Agencies (Government-Sponsored or Otherwise) over the Last Five Years, and Rating of the Usefulness of Such Help/Advice
Table 3.12
Help and Support in Provision and Quality of Local Services in the West of England
Table 3.13
Regional and Local Channels of Knowledge Acquisition of High-Technology SMEs in the West of England: New Firm Start-Ups and Local Entrepreneurship
Table 3.14
Owners'/Founders' Origins
Table 3.15
Origins of Firms' Latest Research/Engineering/Management Staff
Table 3.16
New Local Start-Ups by Former Employees and Existing Linkages
Table 4.1
Size and Location of Sampled Firms used in the 1999 Survey in Singapore-Johor
Table 4.2
Innovation Output of Firms in Manufacturing and Services (1994-1999) in the Singapore and Johor Bahru Area, and Average R&D Intensity in 1998
Table 4.3
Principal Input of Learning for the Most Important Innovations for Firms in the Singapore-Johor Bahru Area
Table 4.4
Relationships with Suppliers and Subcontractors
Table 4.5
Contributions to the Innovation Process by Firms' Suppliers or Subcontractors
Table 4.6
Geographical Location of Firms' Collaborating Suppliers or Subcontractors
Table 4.7
Destination of Sales
Table 4.8
Contributions to the Innovation Process by Firms' Customers
Table 4.9
Geographical Location of Firms' Collaborating Customers
Table 4.10
Contribution of Collaborating Customers
Table 4.11
The Importance of Local/Regional Links in Singapore-Johor
Table 4.12
Informal Contacts with Managers or Professionals from Other Local/Regional Companies
Table 4.13
Regional Specific Advantages for Firms' Development
Table 4.14
Help or Advice Firms Received from Local Agencies (Government-Sponsored or Otherwise) over the Last Five Years, and Rating of the Usefulness of such Help/Advice
Table 4.15
Help and Support in Provision and Quality of Local Services in Singapore-Johor Area
Table 4.16
Regional and Local Channels of Knowledge Acquisition of High-Technology SMEs in the Singapore-Johor Area: New Firm Start-Ups and Local Entrepreneurship
Table 4.17
Owners'/Founders' Origins
Table 4.18
Owners'/Founders' Experience and Qualifications
Table 4.19
Origins of Firms' Latest Research/Engineering/Management Staff
Table 4.20
New Local Start-Ups by Former Employees and Existing Linkages
Table 5.1
The Principal Factors of the West of England Data Survey
Table 5.2
Regression Analyses
Table 5.3
The Principal Factors of the Singapore-Johor Data Survey
Table 5.4
Regression Analyses
Table 5.5
Main Characteristics of Small Innovative and Knowledge-intensive Firms in the West of England and Singapore-Johor Agglomerations
List of Figures
Figure 1.1
Science Systems plc: External Sources of Innovative Ideas
Figure 2.1
Intra-ASEAN Exports
Figure 3.1
Clustering of Innovative SMEs in the West of England
Figure 3.2
Sources of Learning in the West of England
Figure 3.3
Collaboration in Product/Process Development in the West of England
Figure 4.1
Clustering of High-Technology SMEs in Singapore-Johor Bahru
Figure 4.2
Sources of Learning in Singapore-Johor
Figure 4.3
Collaboration in Product/Process Development in Singapore-Johor
Figure 5.1
Cluster Analysis of the West of England Data Survey
Figure 5.2
Cluster Analysis of the Singapore-Johor Data Survey
List of Abbreviations
AFTA
Asian Free Trade Association
APEC
Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation
ASEAN
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
CoR
Committee of the Regions
DTI
Department of Trade and Industry
EDB
Economic Development Board
EMU
[European] Economic and Monetary Union
ERDF
European Regional Development Fund
EU
European Union
FDI
Foreign direct investment
GDP
Gross domestic product
GNP
Gross national product
GREMI
Groupement Europ en des Milieux Innovateurs
MIDA
Malaysian Industrial Development Authority
OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
PAP
Political Action Party in Singapore
R&D
Research and development
SIJORI
Singapore-Johor-Riau (Growth Triangle)
SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises
TNCs
Trans-National Corporations
UMNO
United Malays National Organi