Networks in the Innovation Process

Innovation has long been regarded as an interactive process between heterogeneous actors and as a crucial factor in local and regional development. This timely and significant book focuses on the interactions existing within local networks, providing a theoretical foundation to interactive processes as well as a methodological toolkit for the analysis of innovation from a regional perspective. The author employs a number of empirical methods, ranging from econometric studies to surveys and social network analysis, in order to provide an intensive and diverse approach to the analysis of local or regional innovation systems. The application of social network analysis containing patent data is particularly important as it can be applied to other entities such as regions, firms or technologies. As its case study, the book presents a detailed examination of the innovation system present in the Jena region in Germany, and demonstrates the ways in which it has developed from a variety of different perspectives. This lively and comprehensive volume will find widespread appeal amongst researchers in the fields of regional economics, evolutionary economics and the economics of innovation. It will also attract policy consultants interested in creating innovative networks.