Constructing regional advantage. Platform policies based on related variety and differentiated knowledge bases

Bjorn Asheim (1) , Ron Boschma (2) , Phil Cooke (3, 4)

1 Skane University Hospital [Lund]
2 Faculty of GeoSciences, Department of Economic Geography
3 Centre for Advanced Studies
4 School of Planning and Development

The article presents a regional innovation policy model, based on the idea of constructing regional advantage. This policy model brings together concepts like related variety, knowledge bases and policy platforms. Related variety attaches great importance to knowledge spillovers across complementary sectors, possibly in a region. Then, the paper categorises knowledge into 'analytical' (science based), 'synthetic' (engineering based) and 'symbolic' (arts based) in nature, with different requirements of 'virtual' and real proximity mixes. Finally, the implications of this are traced for evolving 'platform policies' that facilitate economic development within and between regions in action lines appropriate to incorporate the basic principles behind related variety and differentiated knowledge bases.

Mots clés: Social Sciences & Humanities

Domaines: Science politique

Bjorn Asheim, Ron Boschma, Phil Cooke. Constructing regional advantage. Platform policies based on related variety and differentiated knowledge bases. Regional Studies, 2011, 45 (06), pp.1-12. ⟨10.1080/00343404.2010.543126⟩. ⟨hal-00681956⟩