Collaborative routes to innovation success in the periphery–a configurational approach

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to add to the current debate in the literature of economic geography on innovation capacity in the periphery and the role of collaboration patterns important for innovation. Empirical data from the Community Innovation Survey (CIS) in Norway and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) are used to demonstrate how conditions in combination (configurations) lead to high levels of innovation for some peripheral regions in Norway. The authors demonstrate different routes to high product and process innovation levels for the regions. The findings demonstrate a variety of available routes to increase the innovation capacity of peripheral regions, and the study adds new knowledge on the heterogeneity of peripheries. Moreover, there is extensive variation within counties, where certain economic regions are strong innovators, whereas others are slow movers. The authors conclude by calling for innovation policies that consider the heterogeneity of innovation activity at the county level where different subregions have different needs.