Brokerage activities in regional innovation networks: the case of Daegu Technopark in Korea

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the concepts of local clusters and regional innovation networks and discusses the significance of ‘network brokerages’ in issues of local economic development and governance. The brokerage activities particularly affect the linkage structures and characteristics of regional networks. This research discusses each of these features in turn, and develops structural, divisional, or procedural models of them. The paper then turns to the empirical examples of brokerage activities by Daegu Technopark to illustrate the ways in which a local broker and related actors have been functioning. The analysis of Daegu Technopark case indicates that the positive results of network brokerages are mainly due to the proximity and willingness of a network broker to local firms, the making and operation of public programmes suitable to local conditions, differentiation to linkage purposes, the provision of contact opportunities, flexible manoeuvring and consensus-building efforts, and an active-minded leadership applicable to the circumstances. It is, of course, apprehended that Daegu Technopark shows some signs of potential limitations in the grasping and activating processes of regional potentials, such as a discontented aspect of managerial capability, a budgetary deficit, and a distorted process of performance evaluation system.