Regional Innovation Activities Research Articles

Spatial patterns of European innovation: a spatial econometric approach with technological proximity weights

The paper deals with a spatial econometric analysis of 220 European regions. The analysis follows the Mixed Geographically Weighted Regression – Spatial Autoregressive approach. Patent applications were a proxy for innovation output. Instead of traditionally applied geographical proximity, the technological similarity was considered. The results supported the assumption of spatial differentiation of model parameters and indicated that regional innovation activities do not have only a local character in almost half of the regions. The region's technological similarity appears to be a significant factor stimulating innovation for regions that are not among the top innovators.

Development of regional economic infrastructure based on innovation

Object: The purpose of this article is to consider the development of regional innovation activity: principles, objectives, operational elements, and approaches to managing the development of innovation activity at the regional level. Methods: The research uses methods of statistical analysis, comparative analysis, and graphs. Findings: The key results of the study are summarized in the following conclusions: 1) The study examines the main factors of competitiveness, their impact, and relevance to increasing competitiveness in the regional socio-economic system. 2) The study shows that the region has difficulty accepting and developing innovations and that the level of innovation is not yet at the proper level. 3) It was presented that innovation and logistics have a huge impact on the competitiveness of the region. 4) The growth rates of the number of innovative products and the growth rates of the share of large and medium-sized companies using digital technologies in the industry have been determined. Conclusions: A detailed description of innovations in the region makes it possible to compare the levels of development of the innovation sphere in the region. The detection of the dependence of the subjects of economic relations on the conditions proposed in the study makes it possible to establish the characteristics of innovative interaction together with the external and internal components of the innovation process of the regional economy.

Exploring the role of research and innovation institutions in regional digital development: The experience of Lazio Region

Developing a strong and vibrant economic base is one of the European Union priorities for 2019-2024. According to European policymakers, research and innovation activities have a direct impact on the level of prosperity and well-being of European society. EU regional policy is among other issues concentrated on the support of the development of SMEs and strengthening regional research and innovation activities. EU Smart specialisation strategy (S3) prioritizes research and innovation investment as a tool for the development of the European regions. Italy is an industrial country; its manufacturing companies represent the engine of economic growth and development, with their ability to produce wealth and job opportunities. Starting from the structure of the Italian economy characterized by widespread entrepreneurship, creating a favorable environment for businesses therefore responds to a specific public interest. For this reason, industrial policy is back at the core of the government's agenda. Knowing how to take up this challenge, however, not only concerns the government, but mainly entrepreneurs, to whom the new development and digitalization plans are providing agile and flexible tools to grow, innovate and acquire competitiveness. The development of collaborations between research and development institutions and SMEs is one of the measures to achieve these goals. By concentrating on the representative Lazio Region case, this study seeks to understand the contribution of the joint work of these platforms to the regional development and local entrepreneurial competitiveness through an in-depth analysis of strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of the ongoing smart specialization and digital transformation strategies.

ЧЕЛОВЕЧЕСКИЙ КАПИТАЛ КАК ОСНОВА ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ ИННОВАЦИОННО-ИНФОРМАЦИОННОЙ ЭКОНОМИКИ РЕГИОНА: СИСТЕМНО-КРИТЕРИAЛЬНЫЙ ПОДХОД

Focusing on current dynamics, the article examines trends in regional development and innovation activity in Russia. In the context of the growing role of local communities in innovation processes, their influence on the overall economic situation in the country is emphasized. The variety of unique features of each region, which can become the basis for innovative development, is analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the negative impact of economic inequality between regions on the effective use of human capital and the formation of a national innovation system. It is noted that economic inequality can be a significant obstacle to economic growth, both at the regional and federal levels. In the context of global practice and historical precedents, the article discusses the impact of economic isolation on accelerating the development of innovative technologies. Data from a Bloomberg study on world leaders in innovation are presented, while Russia occupies a relatively modest place. The need for a systematic approach to regional development and innovation policy to effectively manage economic challenges and incentives is emphasized. The article emphasizes the importance of developing innovation systems, including supporting innovation infrastructure and stimulating innovation activities. Strategic issues such as international competition, the role of human capital in economic development, and resource management with a long-term perspective are also discussed. The complex nature of human capital and its impact on the economic and social dynamics of society are highlighted. The importance of investments in education, healthcare and innovation to stimulate economic growth is noted. The article also discusses the challenges and difficulties in managing human capital in a rapidly changing economic and technological environment. To develop models of human capital development, the authors recommend taking into account its unique characteristics, as well as the principles that ensure the effective functioning of human capital development models and allow the transformation of theoretical concepts into specific practical recommendations and actions based on available data.

ESTIMATION OF REGIONAL INNOVATION ACTIVITY

In the article, the estimation of the regional innovation activity, the general methodology of the estimation of the innovation development of the regions in this direction were analyzed by the author. The innovation index was formed based on the principles accepted in the international world to assess the innovation potential. According to the comparative evaluation of Azerbaijan's innovation potential, an innovation index was found for each region, zones were ranked according to this index, and cluster analysis was conducted. The selected system of indicators allows us to evaluate the level of innovation development in different areas, and to analyze the factors affecting the innovation index in the regions.

커먼즈 및 지역혁신론관점에서의 먹거리 공유활동 분석

This study aims to analyze the process of creating promoting factors and environments that drive the sustainability of the activities of shared refrigerator, a food sharing program, in Suwon City, a novel approach to local-level food sharing from the perspective of the commons and regional innovation. The findings suggest that food sharing activities are fostered within a context of regional innovation, which encompasses several key elements: firstly, the identification of relevant regional issues that can elicit public empathy and foster public discourse; secondly, the rise of innovative agents who respond to these issues; thirdly, the establishment of networks that encourage interaction and cooperative endeavors, based on reciprocity and interdependence among these agents; fourthly, the development of inherent capabilities and the generation of social capital during these activities; fifthly, the development and evolution of systems that respond to internal and external environments; and finally, the presence of mechanisms that propel these activities.
 This case is significant as it exhibits the systematic nature of regional innovation activities aiming to develop food commons and regional communities. It employs a commons-based approach that acknowledges and administers food as a communal resource, managed by a citizen community that forms management rules and governance. Moreover, it encourages cooperative activities based on networks among various actors, mediated by food. Particularly, this case strives to restore food commons through the expansion of food sharing awareness, thereby providing a foundation for recognizing the necessity of public food policies.

Regional Revitalization through the Expansion of Smart Agriculture

This study investigates the impact of regional innovation initiatives on economic development in South Korea. Through a comprehensive analysis, the study demonstrates a compelling relationship between regional innovation efforts and positive economic outcomes. Key findings reveal that regional innovation activities led to significant improvements in the region's economic prowess, as evidenced by increased GRDP, investment levels, and average monthly wages. Research and development (R&D) expenditure and local government spending were identified as key drivers of economic revitalization, further contributing to enhanced employment rates in most regions. The study concludes that regional innovation plays a critical role in boosting the overall competitiveness of a region. By fostering economic growth, generating employment opportunities, and attracting investment, regional innovation initiatives pave the way for sustainable local development. This paper is highlighting the positive impact of regional innovation on economic development in South Korea.

Innovation dynamics and club convergence in innovation activity in China: A temporal perspective

AbstractWe examine the convergence of innovation activity across Chinese provinces and untangle how such activity has evolved between 1987 and 2020. Our study reveals which factors matter for innovation and how the significance and relative importance of different factors changed over time. To capture this evolution, we distinguish between three key time periods and identify the existence of temporal effects. We further find that depending on the time‐period, regional innovation activity in China has developed in at least three innovation convergence clubs. We offer useful insights, with theory and policy implications, of the roots of regional innovation convergence and the causes of geographical disparities in China's innovation activity.

“High” innovators? Marijuana legalization and regional innovation

The past three decades have witnessed a tremendous shift in public health policies toward marijuana legalization in the United States. Adopting the process‐based view of innovation, we hypothesize that marijuana's increased use and related consequences after its legalization affect innovators’ behavior and social environment during the innovation process, which in turn impacts regional innovation. Utilizing the staggered adoption of medical marijuana laws (MMLs) by 20 states between 1996 and 2013 as a quasi‐experimental setting, we find that legalizing medical marijuana reduces the overall output of regional innovation as proxied by patents’ total forward‐citation count aggregated by innovator location. Further analyses decomposing the overall output into patent quantity and quality reveal that the quantity of certain patents rises after states’ medical marijuana legalization. More importantly, these analyses show that the quality of all patents, especially that of “hit” patents, deteriorates, leading to a net negative effect on the overall output. These tests further suggest that different findings concerning patent quantity and quality are related to marijuana legalization's diverse influence on innovators’ individual and collaborative effectiveness during the innovation process. The decline in innovation output and quality after the adoption of MMLs is robust to the use of additional identification strategies. The evidence suggests that legalizing medical marijuana has an adverse effect on regional innovation activity.

Направления развития инновационной деятельности в регионах с моноотраслевой структурой экономики

The development of the regional economy in the innovative aspect is a necessary factor in increasing its competitiveness and technological sovereignty, which is of particular relevance in an unstable geopolitical situation. The transition of the economy of each constituent entity of the Russian Federation to an innovative development path is a priority task, which is reflected in the framework of legal acts regulating the conditions for socio-economic development both at the regional and federal levels (strategies, programs, etc.). One of the stages of its solution is to take into account the economic specifics, which largely determines the conditions for the implementation of innovative activities in a particular territory. The study is aimed at developing directions for the development of innovative activity in regions with a single-industry structure of the economy. Its relevance is justified by the fact that the single-industry structure, which is typical for many Russian regions, especially the northern ones, acts as a factor that «slows down» the development of innovative activity. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the problems associated with identifying approaches to the essence of the single-industry structure of the economy, as well as disclosing the features of its impact on innovation activity in the region. The research methodology is based on the use of system analysis, documentary and sociological methods. As part of the discussion, the results of in-depth interviews with experts on innovative development in the region are presented. As a result, directions for the development of innovative activity were developed, among which is particularly noteworthy the diversification in monopolized sectors of the economy, where innovation plays a special role, through the development of small and medium-sized innovative businesses, as well as the development of qualitatively new sectors of the regional economy.

Financial development and innovationled economic growth: Empirical insight from sub-Saharan Africa

The body of literature on the nexus concerning innovation, the development of financial systems, and economic growth has gained increasing attention in recent times. However, it is observed that the majority of studies are conducted in developed and emerging economies. This study is unique in its own right by exploring the effect of innovation and financial development on economic growth using panel data for 30 sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries from 2001-2018. The study employed symmetric panel ARDL, common correlated effect ARDL, and asymmetric panel ARDL. Our empirical findings revealed a long-run effect of innovation and financial development on the economic growth of SSA. This means that expansion of the financial sector and better innovation activities in SSA stimulate long-term economic growth. Robustness tests provided consistent results with the baseline findings. The study therefore recommends that to promote sustained economic growth and development in the region, policy makers must collectively work in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders in enhancing regional financial reforms and innovative activities.

Regions of Russia: Clustering Results Based on Economic and Innovation Indexes

Currently, one of the main trends is the study of the features and benefits of regional development, increasing the importance of the role of regions in national and world politics. The differences in technological results that can be observed at the national and regional levels are largely due to the peculiarities of the institutional environment, i.e. the degree of concentration at the regional level of high-tech companies, modern production and innovation infrastructures. The regions of the Russian Federation demonstrate noticeable differences regarding the level of socio-economic development, the availability of human and natural resources, the development of educational, scientific and innovative potentials, depending on the historical development of infrastructure. This study examines the results of clustering Russian regions according to the main indexes characterizing the economic, scientific and innovative activity. The classification of regions was carried out by the method of cluster analysis.Purpose of the study. The aim of the study was to identify homogeneous groups of regions that are similar in their economic and innovation indexes, statistical analysis of these groups based on non-parametric methods and methods of correlation and regression analysis, the formation of conclusions and recommendations regarding innovation.Materials and methods. The information base of the study was statistical data and analytical information characterizing the state of economic and innovation activity in the Russian regions. The following statistical methods were used in the study: non-parametric (Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients, Mann-Whitney test), correlation (Pearson’s coefficients, coefficients of determination), regression (non-linear regression models), multivariate classifications (cluster analysis), descriptive statistics (averages, structural averages, indicators of variation, etc.).Results. As a result of clustering the regions of Russia using the k-means method, 4 cluster groups were obtained, which are statistically homogeneous within the studied indexes. In order to identify the relationships between the considered indexes, paired linear Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated. The study tested three hypotheses about statistically significant differences between the indexes of the third and fourth clusters. The set of indexes was as follows: the coefficient of inventive activity, internal costs of research and development per employee, the average per capita size of innovative goods and services. For these purposes, the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was used. The analysis showed that the regions of the Russian Federation are extremely diverse and heterogeneous in terms of their economic and innovative development. When analyzing them, it is advisable to first use cluster analysis methods to obtain homogeneous groups of territories with similar social and economic characteristics, which is confirmed in this study by testing hypotheses about statistically significant differences between the indexes of the third and fourth clusters (differences between the first and second clusters with other clusters and between themselves obvious and do not require any mathematical proof).Conclusion. The leaders in scientific and innovative development are Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Moscow region and the Republic of Tatarstan. They have the highest rates of inventive activity of the population and the volume of production of innovative goods and services. Such regions of the Russian Federation as the Tyumen region, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Magadan region, Sakhalin region and Chukotka formed a cluster group with the highest per capita GRP, investments and fixed assets, but they have almost the lowest rates of innovation activity. The extractive industry is the main engine of the economy of these regions. A separate cluster was formed by 26 regions with average levels of economic and innovative development in the Russian Federation. In particular, it includes the areas: Belgorod, Lipetsk, Smolensk, Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Leningrad, Murmansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Tomsk, etc. These regions are promising in terms of innovation, but require significant federal investments for their further development. The fourth group of regions united economically weak territories with low rates of innovation activity. These regions accounted for more than half of the total (47 regions). Statistical analysis within the resulting clusters made it possible to identify the relationship between economic indexes and describe them using regression models.

Drivers of regional innovation activity in research and development

This article is devoted to identification and determination common factor which impact on innovation level activity of Russian regions. The analysis of existing works on this topic was carried out, and the results of the study were summarized and analyzed too. The sample for the published study includes 33 different federal entities, different econometric models were constructed and compared. Recommendations were made and conclusions were produced about further way of development innovation activity in Russian Federation regions.

Особенности и значение инновационной деятельности государственных корпораций в развитии экономики регионов

The article discusses the features of the functioning of state corporations, their subsidiaries and holdings in the creation and production of innovative products, introduction of new technologies in the development of industries and the social sphere. The main directions of innovative activities of state corporations are presented (on the example of Rostekh State Corporation, Rosatom State Corporation, Roscosmos State Corporation), connected with the implementation of educational activities in the field of science and innovation development, research and development, participation in the implementation of federal targeted projects and programs, development of technological platforms. A model of open innovation is described, which makes it possible to attract external sources for the search for new ideas and projects. The influence of innovative activity of state corporations on the development of specific regions was established. In addition to territorial presence of specific subsidiaries of corporations, there is active interaction with the government of the regions and city administrations. Joint projects of industrial, infrastructural and social type are being realized. Besides, the article gives a description of regional investment structure of the state corporations being part of “VEB.RF”, approved for financing projects in the territory of a specific federal district. It was found that the innovative activity of state corporations has impact not only on internal success and the production of its own competitive products, but also creates positive prerequisites for the further development of external innovations, contributes to the introduction of new technologies in a number of strategically important industries. The conclusion is made that it is necessary to develop further the innovative activities of state corporations in order to promote regional innovative activity connected with the joint implementation of priority projects in key areas of industry, development of hightech industries, introduction of innovations in education, science, medicine and the economy as a whole.

Legal Environment, Technological Innovation, and Sustainable Economic Growth.

The productivity gains generated by innovation are the root cause of long-term economic growth. In this paper, two empirical hypotheses are proposed to clarify our view: the trade turnover of technology market and intellectual property protection are important factors to stimulate innovation; The main channel of communication is through the increase of research staff and R&D funds. The empirical research result show that: (1) The greater the technology trade volume, the greater the incentive to regional innovation activities, the greater the number of regional patents; (2) About the intellectual property protection, The higher the protection intensity is, the greater the incentive is to regional innovation activities and the greater the number of regional patents. Different from relevant researches, this paper discusses the decisive role of market activity and legal environment on regional innovation behavior from the perspective of technology trade and patent protection, and emphasizes the theoretical significance of market and legal system from a more general perspective.

Social capital and regional innovation efficiency: The moderating effect of governance quality

Most studies demonstrate the determinants of institutional factors on regional innovation behavior in an isolated way, thus ignoring the interaction between different dimensions of institutions. This paper brings heterogeneous social capital and governance quality into the category of regional innovation efficiency. An empirical study based on China's provincial data showed that R&D resources and innovation capability combined in developed regions. Structural social capital led to a significant reduction in R&D input and output, which actually deviated from the original intention to improve the efficiency in regional innovation. Governance quality moderated structural social capital and regional innovation activities positively. The mechanism of cognitive social capital was similar with that of governance quality in enhancing regional innovation efficiency because innovation output greatly exceeded R&D investment. The negative moderating effect of governance quality revealed the substitution relationship between cognitive social capital and governance quality in the regional innovation system.

The spatial diversity of socio-economic development in Ukraine

Purpose: The processes of socio-economic development always take place in a specific space and are not uniform. The modern conditions of regional development vary a lot with regard to the socio-economic development of the particular territorial entities. This is also true for Ukraine, the subject of this study and a current candidate for the European Union. This paper will assess the diversity of socio-economic development of the Ukrainian regions in 2020 and rank these entities according to the level of their development. Methodology: Z. Hellwig’s method of development pattern, which helps to order the regions in terms of their development, is applied to the evaluation of socio-economic development of the Ukrainian entities. The indicators adopted are systematised by the following areas: Demographics and job market, Structure of regional economies, Innovation, research and development activities, Technical infrastructure, Social infrastructure, and Condition and protection of the natural environment. Findings: The analysis helps to identify the levels of socio-economic development of Ukrainian regions and the region groups of the highest, high, low, and very low standards of development. The results suggest a great diversity of socio-economic development of these regions. Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kharkiv experience the maximum, while Donetsk and Luhansk the minimum levels of development. Research limitations/implications: The data published by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine for 2020 are used, excluding those for the temporarily occupied area of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, and parts of the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Further comparative research should estimate the effects of the changes on socio-economic development following the end of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. Continuing studies may also identify factors with a decisive impact on the regions’ attribution to the particular groupings. Social implications: The evaluation of the regional development levels may provide foundations for some strategies of socio-economic development, an explication of causes of regional variations, and a determination of potential for and ways of levelling down the existing inequalities. The diversity of development of the individual Ukrainian regions is important to its status of a candidate to the EU, granted on 23 June 2022. In connection with a closer cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, the results can provide knowledge about where to channel the EU funding aimed at the socio-economic development of the particular regions. Originality/value: The determination of the diversity of socio-economic development and positioning of the Ukrainian regions in this respect. The study can also be seen as a contribution to the existing research and serve the purpose of comparative analysis. Keywords: region; regional development; regional diversity; socio-economic development of regions; Hellwig’s method. Category of the paper: research paper.

On diversification taking into account innovation activity and resource availability of regions

An approach to assessing the possibility of diversification of the regional economy based on the formation of recommendations for the development of sectors to the level of strong ones is presented. The approach is based on regression analysis using an extended economic basis, including characteristics of regional differentiation and innovation activity. On this basis, sectors can be identified, the development of which depends on the innovation activity of the regions. A condition is described that makes it possible to assess the sufficiency of the resource provision of the sector in the region for its development to the level of a strong one. As a result of the approbation of the proposed approach, 20 sectors have been identified, the volume of production of which depends on the innovative activity of the regions aimed at creating international patent applications. For the Construction sector, considered as an example, 11 regions have been identified in which this sector has sufficient resource provision for development to the level of a strong one. The possibility of turning this sector into a strong one in other regions may be associated with an increase in their innovation activity and government support.

Social and Regional Innovation Activities Based on the Joint Research Laboratories Embedded in the University

In order to solve complex societal issues that exist in community and to revitalize the community, it is effective to have universities and companies work closely together, and to involve local governments and citizens. We have established joint research centers within universities and are working with the university and local community to understand the issues, develop the necessary technologies, create solutions, and demonstrate the solutions in local fields. In this paper, we will introduce our work in Takaharu Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, with Kyoto University and in Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido, with Hokkaido University, regarding the use of decentralized local energy.

Оптимальные пространственные форматы межрегионального экономического сотрудничества в рамках инновационной экономики

Domestic cooperation of companies in the field of innovative economy seems to be a promising research area in Russia, especially considering recent macroeconomic events caused by sanctions, in particular, restrictions on the import of high-tech goods. Thus, the present study examines the optimal spatial scale of interregional innovation cooperation. The article presents an analysis of approaches to determining the optimal number of k-matrices of relations between innovation active regions. It is hypothesised that the innovative activity of the business sector in one region does not influence the innovative activity of its neighbours and vice versa. Stepwise regression was applied to identify the core explanatory variable. Based on the spatial weights matrices, a spatial econometric model was constructed using the least squares method. Further, the global Moran’s I was employed to test the spatial correlation, in particular, local indicators of spatial association (LISA) using the queen criterion of contiguity were utilised to determine the dependencies of innovative activity between neighbouring regions. The analysis used panel data from all Russian regions for the period from 2010 to 2019, as well as spatial econometric modelling to identify the side effects of the optimal spatial scale. As a result, the study revealed the presence of spatial correlation in the levels of regional innovative activity, the size of markets, as well as institutional support for enterprises in individual regions. Additionally, the research identified factors positively affecting the scale of innovative activity of the regions and adjacent territories, such as regional domestic income, the number of participants in innovation processes and infrastructure facilities. It has been established that the neighbourhood of regions characterised by the presence of many participants in innovation processes (at least 100 units), as well as innovation infrastructure facilities (at least 810 units) will be seen as the optimal scale of regional cooperation.