Abstract
This article focuses on the development of soft and hard infrastructures to support a life science ecology in a peripheral European city region. Liverpool City Region has received almost £1.7bn in capital investment through the EU Cohesion Policy to redevelop the city region and reinvigorate its economy towards knowledge based industries. The analysis of the city regions life science ecology highlights the uneven development of hard and soft infrastructures. Due to the diversity of firms within the region it has proven difficult to establish soft infrastructure related to scientific knowledge. The outcome has led to soft infrastructures being more business support orientated rather than scientific knowledge based, reducing inter-firm connections on a product or service basis. The evidence shows that not all types of soft infrastructure emerge as an outcome of investment. Hence, policy makers need to provide a clearer narrative on their investments, focusing on fewer core competencies rather than breadth of activities.
Highlights
Governments and international organisations at all levels have seen the potential economic and social benefits that a strong regional life science industry can yield (Benneworth, 2002)
The article concludes that building new hard infrastructure can under certain conditions further the development of a life science ecologies in a peripheral region
The development of hard and soft infrastructures has been uneven in Liverpool City Region (LCR)
Summary
Governments and international organisations at all levels have seen the potential economic and social benefits that a strong regional life science industry can yield (Benneworth, 2002). If a region can develop appropriate hard infrastructures that enable the softer financial and knowledge flows associated with the industry to be captured, that may stimulate regional development. Drawing on this hard/ soft distinction from Colapinto & Porlezza (2012), this article explores investments in particular hard infrastructures that are seeking to support the development of soft life science infrastructures in peripheral city-regions. This article asks the research question of whether public investment in hard infrastructures can stimulate the emergence of the soft infrastructures necessary for dynamic life science ecologies. The article concludes that building new hard infrastructure can under certain conditions further the development of a life science ecologies in a peripheral region
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
