Place-Based Innovation Ecosystems: Volvo companies in Gothenburg (Sweden)

Jens Sorvik, Anna Zingmark and Matilda Ardenfors

No JRC114384, JRC Research Reports from Joint Research Centre

Abstract: There is a revival in the automotive sector in West Sweden, whereby several new companies set around the vehicle industry are attracting fresh capital and expertise into the region. An increasingly dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem is generating new innovation intermediaries who provide added-value functions. The emergence of these innovation intermediaries is being driven by political, market-related, socio-cultural, relational and technological factors. These include societal challenges and trends that drive political interest, such as environmental issues and climate change. There is also a political interest in adapting to globalisation, to secure regional competitiveness and resilience. New technology developments include the electrification of vehicles, automation and connected vehicles. This is driving an interest from industry and academia in attracting talent and securing competences. There is also a tradition and experience of collaboration in the region. Volvo Group (AB Volvo) and Volvo Cars are very interested in continuing to nurture the regional ecosystem, by attracting other companies to the region. Civil society is eventually involved in the innovation ecosystem as user of technology, where user behaviour is analysed as an input to development processes. A common view among respondents is that it should be the needs of the stakeholders to drive the setting-up of innovation support actors or collaborative projects. These initiatives should support not only single companies but also many actors in the system, and be conducive to collaborative activities.

Keywords: Place-based; innovation ecosystem; Gothenburg; Sweden; Volvo; quadruple helix; smart specialisation; territorial development; new technologies; automatation; connected vehicles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ent, nep-env, nep-geo, nep-ino, nep-ppm and nep-tre
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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