Suchergebnisse

The aim of this paper is to outline the importance of tacit knowledge in the innovation process and to highlight the way that geographical location not only influences the relationship between knowledge and innovative activity, but also affects the way that such interaction influences the geography of innovation and economic activity. After a discussion about the nature of knowledge, the paper explores the relationship that exists between knowledge and geography. The paper then reviews, using as an analytical lens, the growing body of literature on knowledge spillovers which affirm the importance of geography. However, the discussion then seeks to outline some crucial gaps that remain in our conceptualisation of the knowledge spillover and transfer process. The paper then highlights the neglected role of knowledge demand and consumption in a spatial context, before concluding with a review of areas for future research.

This report is an account of the relationship between the ERA development and German research and innovation policy (R&I policy). The report introduces what ERA is and how the activities and instruments at European level have fundamentally changed and broadened. It provides a discussion of key initiatives at European level and their interrelation with German R&I policy. In the last decade, and accelerated in the recent years, the European research policy and subsequently the innovation policy have undergone dramatic changes. A range of long-term ambitious initiatives have been developed, most notably within the path-breaking ERA process (research) and the Lisbon strategy (growth). This report addresses these developments by differentiating between traditional (Framework Programme, EUREKA and COST) and new instruments. The new instruments deviate from the classical cooperation funding by addressing either excellence (ERC, EIT) or coordination issues (ETP, ERA-Net). Moreover, also at European level research is no longer a stand-alone approach. Instead, innovation has gained rapidly in importance as a key driver for economic growth. In this report, we present evidence from document analysis and expert interviews for the merit and challenges of the instruments in general and in particular with respect to Germany.