Systems of innovation and the learning region

Abstract

In this chapter, an overview is presented of the three-phase evolution thus far of the regional systems of innovation perspective. The connected notion of the “learning region” is situated and subsequently re-situated in this account. The chapter begins by establishing the debate in the regional governance, learning, and policy contexts, especially with reference to the concept of “experimental regionalism." Early reflections upon various critical responses to the 20-year literature on regional innovation represent the first main phase change, indicating the relative conceptual and empirical flexibility of the approach. Innovation in thinking about entrepreneurship is shown to have been at the heart of this first evolving perspective on regional dynamics. The most recent phase change represents the engagement of regional innovation systems, as a core subfield of evolutionary economic geography, with key concepts in the complexity sciences. These are coevolution, complexity, and emergence. Each is shown to denote important new ways of thinking about regional innovation and evolution. The continuing relevance of the perspective to regional theoretical and policy application is underscored.