Ulrich Hilpert - Böcker

Innovation is often understood exclusively in terms of the economy, but it is definitely a result of human labour and ingenuity, and of the relationships among individuals and social groups. Some societies and governmental structures are clearly more successful than others: they act in divergent ways, fostering innovation and employment, and they utilize varied opportunities from different fields of research, from new products and from their educational systems. Thus, innovation varies fundamentally between countries, and public policies – in matters such as energy technology, environmental technologies, facing climate change, and advancing conditions of life – can be determined according to different societies’ needs. This volume brings together a range of world experts to compare countries and continents and help develop a fuller picture of innovations and their social basis. It will be of interest to researchers in regional studies and economics, as well as labour unions, practitioners, and policy makers.

Behind the rhetoric of `intervention' and `deregulation' which has accompanied state attempts to stimulate technological innovation in the last decade is secreted a story of failed ambitions, confusion, muddle and incoherence.Techno-industrial innovation does make demands on the state, not only in terms of new industries, but also in regard to the inter-relation of industrial and R&D policy and the creation of markets.This book provides a comparative analysis of techno-industrial innovation in Europe, Japan and the USA. Drawing on case studies ranging from the semi-conductor to the biotechnology industries, the book presents a comprehensive and detailed survey of national strategies for the internal and world markets and sets them in their political context, where `the costs may be high and the pay-offs uncertain'.

While processes of innovation are increasingly realised globally, they can also take a highly regionalised expression. In this book, the global networks that link regions are set against the local aspects of innovation. With contributions from international experts, this book examines local 'Islands of Innovation' where research and industrial expertise are concentrated, along with areas where traditional industrial regions have passed through a process of innovative restructuring.

European macro-regions, Euroregions and other forms of inter-regional, cross-border cooperation have helped to shape new scenarios and new relational spaces which may generate opportunities for economic development, while redefining the political and economic meaning of national borders. This book is based on a number of key case studies which are crucial to understanding the complex web of political, economic and cultural factors that shape the heterogeneous picture of Europe’s new geography. This book provides a fresh view on this phenomenon, with a realistic approach shedding light on its complexity as well as on its ambiguities. The new macro-regions are interpreted with an approach recognizing the importance of institutionalization, but also their flexible configuration and "blurred" borders. The book also raises the issue of credibility and legitimacy, arguing that inter-regional cooperation has to be removed from the foggy realm of the exchanges between local political and bureaucratic elites in order to be clearly and concretely motivated, and functional to key strategic objectives of the regions. Finally, the authors suggest a complementarity between relations based on proximity and wider (possibly global) networks where some territories, and especially metropolises, find opportunities based on "virtual" proximity.Europe's Changing Geography provides a substantial re-appraisal of a key phenomenon in the process of European integration today. It will be of interest both to scholars of the political economy of European regionalism and to practitioners.

A map which shows where innovation is clustered worldwide is also a map of the location of the highly skilled and talented labour. New technologies, their creative applications or synergy across different areas of scientific research or technology development always create opportunities for the employment of particularly creative labour. This book explores the kinds of institutions and structures which need to exist to make sure that such skills are both offered and employed in particular ‘islands of innovation’.Networking Regionalised Innovative Labour Markets illustrates the theme of how existing concentrations of skills in scientific, technological and managerial elites are reinforced through inter-regional mobility using exemplars from a range of countries and regions. These include the US, UK, Italy, Germany, and Central and Eastern Europe. The book’s originality lies in its in-depth assessments of the factors associated with the extent to which some regions hold their positions in networked islands of innovation. It is shown that those islands of innovation that attract highly skilled workers from abroad, particularly those from foreign islands of innovation, perform better for example in the US, Italy and the UK. In contrast, even the most innovative Czech regions tend to lose the highly skilled workers vis-à-vis the most innovative regions of the world, mainly to regions in the USA.

This handbook provides a comprehensive global survey of the politics of technology. Written by an outstanding line up of distinguished scholars in the field, the handbook covers all aspects of the relationship between politics and technology including: Demand and support for new technologies and innovation by the state The effects of technology policies Technology development and innovation difference between various countries and regions Policy instruments and techno-industrial innovation Dynamism and change as outcomes of government policies Driving forces for science and innovative developmentForming the basis of this handbook are examples of regional development, country studies and a rich variety of technologies, as well as topical issues such as divergent political interests in relation to technology and the economic exploitation of technologies. Employing a comparative and interdisciplinary approach in order to analyse the interplay between government activities and the development of new technologies, this handbook will be an invaluable resource for all students, scholars and practitioners working in the politics of technology, public policy and policy analysis.

This book includes studies on regions, industries and tendencies of industrial change and spatial concentration of competences and industrial potentials. The chapters in this volume provide for discussions concerning a wider understanding of situations related to Industry 4.0 and digitization. It also reaches out further than towards technology and economy because it includes regional and metropolitan societies, workforces and the divergencies of effects and opportunities.Industry 4.0 and digitization are new transformations for regions and metropolises where technologies are applied but regionally can appear as a continuation of innovative processes where it is developed. The divergent presence of competences creates a selectivity process among regions. There are individual industry-location-nexuses formed out of competences of industries, labour force and research which are complemented by public policies providing support towards such adaptation of innovation and change. Regional societies formed from skilled and educated labour become an important basis for participation in innovation and supply chains. Since smart factories widely can be managed remotely, this also shows a concentration of decision making. Simultaneously, it forms a polycentric de-concentration, indicating some more important locations as central within the networks. These systematic changes continue to deepen over time. While public policies may match innovative opportunities at the appropriate moment, they also contribute to a continuation of uneven development and divergent societal tendencies. Industry 4.0 and digitization indicate a wide and selective change of organization associated with new technologies and innovation. While some regions and metropolises can continue to build both innovative competences and innovative societies based on innovative labour force, others will participate because of their position in supply chains.The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the journal, European Planning Studies.

This book includes studies on regions, industries and tendencies of industrial change and spatial concentration of competences and industrial potentials. The chapters in this volume provide for discussions concerning a wider understanding of situations related to Industry 4.0 and digitization. It also reaches out further than towards technology and economy because it includes regional and metropolitan societies, workforces and the divergencies of effects and opportunities.Industry 4.0 and digitization are new transformations for regions and metropolises where technologies are applied but regionally can appear as a continuation of innovative processes where it is developed. The divergent presence of competences creates a selectivity process among regions. There are individual industry-location-nexuses formed out of competences of industries, labour force and research which are complemented by public policies providing support towards such adaptation of innovation and change. Regional societies formed from skilled and educated labour become an important basis for participation in innovation and supply chains. Since smart factories widely can be managed remotely, this also shows a concentration of decision making. Simultaneously, it forms a polycentric de-concentration, indicating some more important locations as central within the networks. These systematic changes continue to deepen over time. While public policies may match innovative opportunities at the appropriate moment, they also contribute to a continuation of uneven development and divergent societal tendencies. Industry 4.0 and digitization indicate a wide and selective change of organization associated with new technologies and innovation. While some regions and metropolises can continue to build both innovative competences and innovative societies based on innovative labour force, others will participate because of their position in supply chains.The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the journal, European Planning Studies.

Innovation is often understood exclusively in terms of the economy, but it is definitely a result of human labour and ingenuity, and of the relationships among individuals and social groups. Some societies and governmental structures are clearly more successful than others: they act in divergent ways, fostering innovation and employment, and they utilize varied opportunities from different fields of research, from new products and from their educational systems. Thus, innovation varies fundamentally between countries, and public policies – in matters such as energy technology, environmental technologies, facing climate change, and advancing conditions of life – can be determined according to different societies’ needs. This volume brings together a range of world experts to compare countries and continents and help develop a fuller picture of innovations and their social basis. It will be of interest to researchers in regional studies and economics, as well as labour unions, practitioners, and policy makers.

European macro-regions, Euroregions and other forms of inter-regional, cross-border cooperation have helped to shape new scenarios and new relational spaces which may generate opportunities for economic development, while redefining the political and economic meaning of national borders. This book is based on a number of key case studies which are crucial to understanding the complex web of political, economic and cultural factors that shape the heterogeneous picture of Europe’s new geography. This book provides a fresh view on this phenomenon, with a realistic approach shedding light on its complexity as well as on its ambiguities. The new macro-regions are interpreted with an approach recognizing the importance of institutionalization, but also their flexible configuration and "blurred" borders. The book also raises the issue of credibility and legitimacy, arguing that inter-regional cooperation has to be removed from the foggy realm of the exchanges between local political and bureaucratic elites in order to be clearly and concretely motivated, and functional to key strategic objectives of the regions. Finally, the authors suggest a complementarity between relations based on proximity and wider (possibly global) networks where some territories, and especially metropolises, find opportunities based on "virtual" proximity.Europe's Changing Geography provides a substantial re-appraisal of a key phenomenon in the process of European integration today. It will be of interest both to scholars of the political economy of European regionalism and to practitioners.

This handbook provides a comprehensive global survey of the politics of technology. Written by an outstanding line-up of distinguished scholars in the field, the handbook covers all aspects of the relationship between politics and technology including: demand and support for new technologies and innovation by the state; the effects of technology policies; technology development and innovation difference between various countries and regions; policy instruments and techno-industrial innovation; dynamism and change as outcomes of government policies; driving forces for science and innovative development;skills, education and human capital. Forming the basis of this handbook are examples of regional development, country studies and a rich variety of technologies, as well as topical issues such as divergent political interests in relation to technology and the economic exploitation of technologies. Employing a comparative and interdisciplinary approach in order to analyse the interplay between government activities and the development of new technologies, this handbook will be an invaluable resource for all students, scholars and practitioners working in the politics of technology, public policy and policy analysis.

A map which shows where innovation is clustered worldwide is also a map of the location of the highly skilled and talented labour. New technologies, their creative applications or synergy across different areas of scientific research or technology development always create opportunities for the employment of particularly creative labour. This book explores the kinds of institutions and structures which need to exist to make sure that such skills are both offered and employed in particular ‘islands of innovation’.Networking Regionalised Innovative Labour Markets illustrates the theme of how existing concentrations of skills in scientific, technological and managerial elites are reinforced through inter-regional mobility using exemplars from a range of countries and regions. These include the US, UK, Italy, Germany, and Central and Eastern Europe. The book’s originality lies in its in-depth assessments of the factors associated with the extent to which some regions hold their positions in networked islands of innovation. It is shown that those islands of innovation that attract highly skilled workers from abroad, particularly those from foreign islands of innovation, perform better for example in the US, Italy and the UK. In contrast, even the most innovative Czech regions tend to lose the highly skilled workers vis-à-vis the most innovative regions of the world, mainly to regions in the USA.

Weltmarktintegration, eine führende Rolle im internationalen Innovations­ und Forschungswettlauf und die "richtige" Rolle des Staates gelten als Rezept für industriellen Erfolg und ökonomisches Wachstum. Modelle werden dazu sehnell gefunden, häufig widersprechen sie einander: an den U . SA. wurde bis vor kurzem ihre hohe wissenschaftlich-technische Innovationsfähigkeit, bei der angeblich der Staat keine Rolle spielt, gerühmt; mit Blick auf Japan galt der unmittelbar den Exportinteressen dienenden staatlichen Politik besondere Bewunderung, die das Land als neue Technologie-Supermacht erscheinen ließ; bei den kleinen Industrieländern gab es den Verweis auf Schweden, das sowohl Innovation als auch soziale Wohlfahrt erreicht; und bei den kleinen (regio­ nal-)staatlichen Einheiten wurde Baden-Württemberg ebenso kurzer Hand zum Modell erklärt wie Terza Italia oder Rhöne-Alpes. Im einen Falle wurde nach mehr Staat, im anderen nach weniger und, wenn keines von beiden paßte, dann wurde nach der "richtigen" Mischung gerufen. Modelle sind schnell entworfen, und sie entstehen um so zügiger - und ver­ schwinden auch um so zügiger in der Versenkung - je weniger nach den Zusammenhängen, der Besonderheit und nach Vergleichen (zur Klärung der Übertragbarkeit) gefragt wird. Das erfolgreiche Beispiel bleibt immer erfolg­ reich, wenn es isoliert betrachtet wird, Modellcharakter kann es aber nur an­ nehmen, wenn es tatsächlich in anderen Situationen allgemein angewandt wer­ den kann. Die widersprüchlichen Modelle machen aber die Auswahl schwe- oder: sie lassen die Auswahl beliebig erscheinen.