Space, Linkages, and Successful Urban Regions: A Cross-National Comparison

Abstract

The hypothesis advanced in this paper is that the spatial dimension of external linkages and networks in any particular region varies depending on the region's characteristics both in terms of the degree of regional embeddedness evident in the regional innovation system and the position of the region on the international urban hierarchy. The balancing of globalization and localization in different regional systems is reflected in the different theories that have been put forward to explain regional innovation performance. The paper argues for a re-balancing of theoretical approaches to innovation and the spatial dimension of networks and linkages. This is supported by the findings of a cross-national research project on the spatial dimension of linkages and networks that contribute to the process of innovation and business competitiveness. The paper asks why it is that the spatial dimension of innovative linkages is seen to vary across successful innovative regions. The findings demonstrate the importance of international connections with suppliers and customers and the varying degrees of significance attached to regional linkages in the cities. This suggests that there is a need for spatial innovation theories to address the innovation characteristics of particular products including their degree of novelty as well as the position of firms in the value chain of production. This should not be viewed as a repudiation of the new regionalism but an attempt to place the role of regional linkages within the context of globalization and the international urban hierarchy. The remainder of the paper is divided into three sections. The first reviews recent theoretical developments in the geography of innovation. It pays particular attention to developments in the globalization of innovation as a counterweight to previous emphasis on the region and locality. Next, the methodology employed in the comparison of four European city regions is described. Finally, empirical findings from the study are presented. In the presentation of findings, particular attention is paid to the spatial dimension of linkages and networks in the four regions and the relative importance of international, national, and local connections.