changing perspectives of regional competitiveness some insights from field analysis open days...
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CHANGING PERSPECTIVESOF REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS
SOME INSIGHTS FROM FIELD ANALYSIS
Open DaysEuropean Week of Regions and Cities
Michael Steiner
Brussels, 10th – 13th October 2005
Institute of Technology and Regional Policy - InTeRegElisabethstraße 20A-8010 GrazTel.: ++43 316 876 1488Fax: ++43 316 876 1480e-mail: [email protected]
Karl-Franzens-University GrazDepartment of EconomicsUniversitätsstraße 15/F4A-8010 GrazTel.: ++43 316 380 3450Fax: ++43 316 380 9520e-mail:[email protected]
endogenous nature of knowledge
tacit knowledge as non-ubiquified knowledge
learning as a social process in regional embeddings
regional networks as institutions for knowledge generation and diffusion
NEW EMPHASIS ON REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS – AN EXTENDED
„AUSTRIAN“ PERSPECTIVE
- allocative versus creative function of the market
- process-oriented perspective and path- dependency
- new dimensions of knowledge for regional competitiveness
- differential behaviour and variety as essential elements of dynamic efficiency
GENERAL TRENDS OF REGIONAL POLICYIN AUSTRIA
- rising importance of regional dimension of economic policy
- stronger sense of economic self-awareness of "Länder"
- professionalisation of regional policy
- communicative character
- evaluation
SUCCESS/FAILURES OF PASTPROGRAMMING PERIODS
- high expectations at the beginning (1995)
gaining importance of regional policy
no compelling evidence of reduction of disparities
little programmatic and methodological innovation
„enabling effect“
„institutional added value“
- modest macroeconomic effects
- pros and cons
PERSPECTIVES AND MAIN ELEMENTS OF FUTURE PROGRAMMING PERIOD
- no single dominating regional development problem but large variety of problem situations
- territorial cooperation across borders
- innovation and technology orientation as a dominant priority
- not only high-tech
- Structural Funds one of several measures
COMMENTS TO CHOSEN APPROACH (1/2)
- empirical analysis as „stylized facts“
percentages without knowledge of absolute amount
Structural Funds not designed for „big problems“
priorities no deductive consequence of empirical analysis
- empirical analysis basically in accordance with dominant regional perspective
-unavoidable data limits
- underestimation of interregional aspect
- reluctance to accept „financial breakdown“
COMMENTS TO CHOSEN APPROACH (2/2)
- different emphasis on given priorities
„innovation“ support takes different forms
different dimensions of „accessibility“
„environment and risk prevention“ as an overlapping goal
GUIDELINING POLICY –BETWEEN STYLIZED FACTS, REDUCTIONISM
AND NECESSARY PERSPECTIVES
- systemic thinking versus quantitative goals
- empirical analysis as „stylized facts“
- need for priority setting