Distances, Knowledge Brokerage and Absorptive Capacity in Enhancing Regional Innovativeness: A Qualitative Case Study of Lahti Region, Finland

European Planning Studies

Volumn 19, Issue 6, 2011, Pages 921-948

  Parjanen, Satu ^a   Melkas, Helinä ^a   Uotila, Tuomo ^a  

^a LAPPEENRANTA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY   (Finland)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK; HOLISTIC APPROACH; INNOVATION; KNOWLEDGE; REGIONAL PLANNING; STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT; TECHNOLOGY POLICY;

FINLAND; LAHTI; PAIJAT-HAME;

EID: 84855592982     PISSN: 09654313     EISSN: 14695944     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2011.568804     Document Type: Article

References (58)

1. Albino, V., Carbonara, N. & Petruzzelli, A. (2007) External knowledge sources and proximity: Towards a new geography of technology districts. Paper presented in Regional Studies Association International Conference: Regions in Focus, April 2-5, Lisbon.
2. Andersson, U. (2001) Network Embeddedness and Transfer of Information and Innovation in MNCs-the Dual Role of the Subsidiary, Occasional Paper 2001/1, Uppsala: Foretagsekonomiska institutionen, Uppsala Universitet.
3. Aula, P. & Harmaakorpi, V. (2008) An innovative milieu-a view on regional reputation building: Case study of the Lahti urban region, Regional Studies, 42(4), pp. 523-538.
4. Bechky, B. (2003) Sharing Meaning across Occupational Communities: The Transformation of Understanding on a Production Floor, Organization Science, 14(3), pp. 312-330.
5. Boschma, R. A. (2005) Proximity and innovation: A critical assessment, Regional Studies, 39(1), pp. 61-74.
6. Brokel, T. & Binder, M. (2007) The regional dimension of knowledge transfers-a behavioral approach, Industry and Innovation, 14(2), pp. 151-175.
7. Burt, R. (1992) Structural Holes: The Social Structure of Competition (Boston, MA: Harvard University Press)
8. Burt, R. (1997) The contingent value of social capital, Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(2), pp. 339-365.
9. Burt, R. (2004) Structural holes and good ideas, American Journal of Sociology, 110(2), pp. 349-399.
10. Burt, R. (2005) Brokerage and Closure: An Introduction to Social Capital (Oxford: Oxford University Press).
11. Chesbrough, H. & Crowther, A. K. (2006) Beyond high tech: Early adopters of open innovation in other industries, R&D Management, 36(3), pp. 229-236.
12. Cohen, W. & Levinthal, D. (1990) Absorptive capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation, Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(1), pp. 128-152.
13. Cooke, P., Uranga, M. & Etxebarria, G. (1998) Regional innovation systems: An evolutionary perspective, Environment and Planning A, 30(9), pp. 1563-1584.
14. Florida, R. (1995) Toward the learning region, Futures, 27(5), pp. 527-536.
15. Gertler, M. S. (1995) "Being there": Proximity, organization, and culture in the development and adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, Economic Geography, 71(1), pp. 1-26.
16. Granovetter, M. (1973) The strength of weak ties, American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), pp. 1360-1380.
17. Granovetter, M. (1985) Economic action and social structure: The problem of embeddedness, American Journal of Sociology, 91(3), pp. 481-510.
18. Granovetter, M. (2005) The impact of social structure on economic outcomes, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 19(1), pp. 33-50.
19. Hargadon, A. (1998) Firms as knowledge brokers: Lessons in pursuing continuous innovation, California Management Review, 40(3), pp. 209-227.
20. Hargadon, A. & Sutton, R. I. (1997) Technology brokering and innovation in a product development firm, Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(4), pp. 718-749.
21. Harmaakorpi, V. (2004), Building a competitive regional innovation environment-the regional development platform method as a tool for innovation policy, Doctoral dissertation, Helsinki University of Technology, Espoo.
22. Harmaakorpi, V. (2006) The regional development method as a tool for regional innovation policy, European Planning Studies, 14(8), pp. 1085-1104.
23. Harmaakorpi, V., Tura, T. & Artima, E. (2006) Balancing regional innovation policy between proximity and distance, Paper presented at the Fifth Proximity Congress, Bordeaux, France, June (pp. 28-30).
24. Harmaakorpi, V., Tura, T. & Melkas, H. (2010) Regional innovation platforms, in: P. Cooke, B. Asheim, R. Boschma, R. Martin, D. Schwartz & F. Todtling (Eds) The Handbook on Regional Innovation & Growth (Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing).
25. Howells, J. (2002) Tacit knowledge, innovation and economic geography, Urban Studies, 39(5-6), pp. 871-884.
26. Howells, J. (2006) Intermediation and the role of intermediaries in innovation, Research Policy, 35(5), pp. 715-728.
27. Jensen, M. B., Johnson, B., Lorenz, E. & Lundvall, B-A. (2007) Forms of knowledge and modes of innovation, Research Policy, 36(5), pp. 680-693.
28. Johansson, F. (2004) The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts and Cultures (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press).
29. Kallio, A., Harmaakorpi, V. & Pihkala, T. (2010) Absorptive capacity and social capital in regional innovation systems: The case of the Lahti region in Finland, Urban Studies, 47(2), pp. 303-319.
30. Kim, L. (1998) Crisis construction and organisational learning: Capability building in catching-up at Huyndai motor, Organization Science, 9(4), pp. 506-521.
31. Knoben, J. & Oerlemans, L. A. G. (2006) Proximity and inter-organizational collaboration: A literature review, International Journal of Management Reviews, 8(2), pp. 71-89.
32. Li, Y., Vanhaverbeke, W. & Schoenmakers, W. (2008) Exploration and exploitation in innovation: Reframing the interpretation, Creativity and Innovation Management, 17(2), pp. 107-126.
33. Melkas, H. & Harmaakorpi, V. (2008) Data, information and knowledge in regional innovation networks: Quality considerations and brokerage functions, European Journal of Innovation Management, 11(1), pp. 103-124.
34. Nahapiet, J. & Ghostal, S. (1998) Social capital, intellectual capital and the organizational advantage, Academy of Management Review, 23(2), pp. 242-266.
35. Nooteboom, B., Van Haverbeke, W., Duysters, G., Gilsing, V. & van den Oord, A. (2007) Optimal cognitive distance and absorptive capacity, Research Policy, 36(7), pp. 1016-1034.
36. Oerlemans, L. A. G., Meeus, M. T. H. & Boekema, F. W. M. (2001) Innovation, organisational and spatial embeddedness: An exploration of determinants and effects, Working Paper 01.03, The Netherlands: Eindhoven Centre for Innovation Studies, Eindhoven University of Technology).
37. Oinas, P. (1999) Activity-specificity in organizational learning: Implications for analysing the role of proximity, GeoJournal, 49(4), pp. 363-372.
38. Onnela, J.-P., Saramäki, J., Hyvonen, J., Szabo, G., Argollo de Menezes, M., Kaski, K., Barabási, A.-L. & Kertesz, J. (2007) Analysis of a large-scale weighted network of one-to-one human communication, New Journal of Physics, 9(179), pp. 1-27.
39. Parjanen, S. & Melkas, H. (2008) Etäisyyden ja läheisyyden leikki innovaatioprosesseissa, in: V. Harmaakorpi & H. Melkas (Eds) Innovaatiopolitiikkaa jarjestelmien valimaastossa, pp. 59-67 (Helsinki: Suomen Kuntaliitto & Lappeenrannan teknillinen yliopisto) (in Finnish).
40. Parjanen, S., Parviainen, T., Harmaakorpi, V. & Väänänen, I. (2008) Blue ocean strategy at the Lahti University of Applied Sciences, in: T. Parviainen, S. Parjanen, V. Harmaakorpi & I. Väänänen (Eds) Lahti University of Applied Sciences on the Blue Ocean of Innovation Promotion, pp. 11-34 (Tampere: Tampereen yliopistopaino Oy).
41. Pekkarinen, S. & Harmaakorpi, V. (2006) Building regional innovation networks: Definition of age business core process in a regional innovation system, Regional Studies, 40(4), pp. 1-13.
42. Pierce, E., Kahn, B. & Melkas, H. (2006) A comparison of quality issues for data, information, and knowledge, in: M. Khosrow-Pour (Ed.), Emerging Trends and Challenges in Information Technology Management: Proceedings of the 2006 Information Resources Management Association Conference, 17th IRMA International Conference, 21-24 May, 2006, Washington DC, Vol. 1, pp. 60-63 (Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing).
43. Rallet, A. & Torre, A. (1999) Is geographical proximity necessary in the innovation networks in the era of global economy? GeoJournal, 49(4), pp. 373-380.
44. Rallet, A. & Torre, A. (2005) Proximity and localization, Regional Studies, 39(1), pp. 47-59.
45. Reagans, R. & McEvily, B. (2003) Network structure and knowledge transfer: The effects of cohesion and range, Administrative Science Quarterly, 48(2), pp. 240-267.
46. Reichert, S. (2006) The Rise of Knowledge Regions: Emerging Opportunities and Challenges for Universities, EUA Publications, Brussels: European University Association.
47. Rondé, P. & Hussler, C. (2005) Innovation in regions: What does really matter? Research Policy, 34(8), pp. 1150-1172.
48. Schienstock, G. & Hämäläinen, T. (2001) Transformation of the Finnish innovation system: A Network Approach, Sitra Reports Series 7, Helsinki: Sitra.
49. Shaw, E. (1998) Social networks: Their impact on the innovative behaviour of small service firms, International Journal of Innovation Management, 2(2), pp. 201-222.
50. Sorenson, O., Rivkin, J. W. & Fleming, L. (2006) Complexity, networks and knowledge flow, Research Policy, 35(7), pp. 994-1017.
51. Teigland, R. & Wasko, M. M. (2003) Integrating knowledge through information trading: Examining the relationship between boundary spanning communication and individual performance, Decision Sciences, 34(2), pp. 261-286.
52. Todorova, G. & Durisin, B. (2007) Absorptive capacity: Valuing a reconceptualization, Academy of Management Review, 32(3), pp. 774-786.
53. Tura, T. & Harmaakorpi, V. (2005) Social capital in building regional innovative capability, Regional Studies, 39(8), pp. 1111-1125.
54. Uotila, T. (2008) The use of future-oriented knowledge in regional innovation processes: Research on knowledge generation, transfer and conversion, Doctoral dissertation, Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis 318, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lappeenranta.
55. Uotila, T., Harmaakorpi, V. & Melkas, H. (2006) A method for assessing absorptive capacity of a regional innovation system, Fennia International Journal of Geography, 184(1), pp. 49-58.
56. Verona, G., Prandelli, E. & Sawhney, M. (2006) Innovation and virtual environments: Towards virtual knowledge brokers, Organization Studies, 27(6), pp. 765-788.
57. Witt, U. (1996) Innovations, externalities and the problem of economic progress, Public Choice, 89(1-2), pp. 113-130.
58. Zahra, S. A. & George, G. (2002) Absorptive capacity: A review, reconceptualization and extension, Academy of Management Review, 27(2), pp. 185-203.