Science and technology parks as evolving policy instruments: challenges when embracing the innovation district model

Jesús M. Valdaliso and Cristina Andrés

European Planning Studies, 2025, vol. 33, issue 4, 646-664

Abstract: This paper contributes to the emerging research on innovation districts (IDs) by examining, from the perspective of incumbent science and technology parks (STPs), the challenges they confront when embracing this new model. Urban IDs may allow STPs to move to cities’ downtowns and increase their scope of business spaces, but they present new challenges. Specifically, the paper identifies and addresses three key issues: the potential conflict of interests between the objectives of the former STP and those of the new ID, the shift in the greenfield model of the STP to adopt the ID brownfield model, and the governance challenges arising from the entry and appearance of new stakeholders. The paper builds on the case study of the Basque Country STPs and their involvement in launching an ID in the city of Bilbao, framed within the longer trajectory of Basque STPs as evolving policy instruments for the innovation policies of the regional government. The case offers lessons for STPs’ managers and policy makers interested in promoting IDs.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/09654313.2025.2490119 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:eurpls:v:33:y:2025:i:4:p:646-664

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/CEPS20

DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2025.2490119

Access Statistics for this article

European Planning Studies is currently edited by Philip Cooke and Louis Albrechts

More articles in European Planning Studies from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().