Technological Enclaves and Industrial Districts: An Analysis of the Regional Distribution of Innovative Activity in Europe

Raffaele Paci and Stefano Usai

Regional Studies, 2000, vol. 34, issue 2, 97-114

Abstract: PACI R. and USAI S. (2000) Technological enclaves and industrial districts: an analysis of the regional distribution of innovative activity in Europe, Reg. Studies 34 , 97-114. This paper explores the spatial distribution of innovative and productive activity across 109 regions of the European Union, using an original statistical databank on regional patents. The main results are the following. First, technological activity in the EU appears to be highly concentrated, although concentration tended to decline over the 1980s. Second, as expected, there is a positive association between the regional distribution of innovative activity and labour productivity. Third, we have shown that spatial and sectoral specialization of innovative and productive activities is significantly and positively correlated. PACI R. et USAI S. (2000) Enclaves technologiques et districts industriels: une analyse de la distribution regionale de l'innovation en Europe, Reg. Studies 34 , 97-114. A partir d'une banque de donnees novatrice sur les brevets regionaux, cet article examine la distribution spatiale des activites a caractere innovateur et productif a travers 109 regions de l'Union europeenne. On en a tire les conclusions suivantes. Primo, il semble que l'activite a caractere technologique au sein de l'Ue est extremement concentree, bien que la concentration eut tendance a diminuer dans les annees 80. Secundo, il existe, comme prevu, une correlation etroite entre la distribution regionale de l'activite a caractere innovateur et la productivite du travail. Tertio, il s'avere que les specialisations spatiale et sectorielle des activites a caractere innovateur et productif sont en correlation etroite. PACI R. und USAI S. (2000) Technologische Enklaven und Industriedistrikte, Reg. Studies 34 , 97-114. Dieser Aufsatz untersucht die raumliche Verteilung innovativer und produktiver Aktivitat in 109 Gebieten der Europaischen Union (EU), wobei sie sich auf statistische Originalangaben stutzt. Die Hauptergebnisse waren: erstens, technologische Betatigung in der EU scheint stark konzentriert zu sein, obschon eine Tendenz zum Nachlassen der Konzentrierung im Laufe der achtziger Jahre zu beobachten war; zweitens gibt es, wie zu erwarten war, einen positiven Zusammenhang zwischen regionaler Verteilung innovativer Betatigung und Produktivitat der Arbeiterschaft; drittens zeigen die Autoren auf, dass raumliche und fachliche Spezialisierung auf innovative und produktive Betatigung erheblich und positiv aufeinander bezogen sind.

Keywords: Innovative Activity; European Regions; Technological Specialization; Productive Specialization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2000
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (112)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Technological enclaves and industrial districts: An analysis of the regional distribution of innovative activity in Europe (1998)
Working Paper: Technological enclaves and industrial districts. An analysis of the regional distributions of innovative activity in Europe (1997)
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DOI: 10.1080/00343400050006032

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