How Smart is Specialisation? An Analysis of Specialisation Patterns in Knowledge Production

Gaston Heimeriks and Pierre-Alexandre Balland

No 1531, Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) from Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography

Abstract: To understand how specialisation patterns of cities differ among scientific fields, we study patterns of knowledge production in Astrophysics, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Organic Chemistry between 1996 and 2012. Using keywords from journal publications, we find systematic differences across scientific fields, but remarkable similarities across cities within each field. Biotechnology shows a turbulent pattern with comparative advantages that are short lasting, and with few related topics are available for research locations. Astrophysics and -in later years Nanotechnology- show a pattern of stable rankings, comparative advantages that last longer, and many related topics potentially available for research locations. Organic Chemistry has an intermediate position. Fields of knowledge production thus have fundamentally different characteristics that require different smart specialisation strategies taking into account the differences in accumulation and relatedness.

Keywords: smart specialisation; scientific knowledge dynamics; path dependency; innovation policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-09, Revised 2015-09
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Journal Article: How smart is specialisation? An analysis of specialisation patterns in knowledge production (2016)
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