Cooperation networks and innovation: A complex system perspective to the analysis and evaluation of a EU regional innovation policy programme

Margherita Russo (margherita.russo@unimore.it) and Federica Rossi

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: Recent developments in innovation theory and policy have led policymakers to assign particular importance to supporting networks of cooperation among heterogeneous economic actors, especially in production systems composed of small and medium enterprises. Such innovative policies call for parallel innovations in policy analysis, monitoring and assessment. Our analysis of a policy experiment aimed at supporting innovation networks in the Italian region of Tuscany intends to address some issues connected with the design, monitoring and evaluation of such interventions. Combining tools from ethnographic research and social networks analysis, we explore the structural elements of the policy programme, its macroscopic impact on the regional innovation system, and the success of individual networks in attaining their specific objectives. This innovative approach allows us to derive some general methodological suggestions for the design and evaluation of similar programmes.

Keywords: Innovation policy; cooperation networks; evaluation; regional development; SMEs production systems; complex systems (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D78 O31 O32 O38 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-06-26
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-geo, nep-ino, nep-knm and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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