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The emerging empirics of evolutionary economic geography

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  • Ron Boschma
  • Koen Frenken

Abstract

Following last decadeÕs programmatic papers on Evolutionary Economic Geography, we report on recent empirical advances and how this empirical work can be positioned vis-ˆ-vis other strands of research in economic geography. First, we review studies on the path dependent nature of clustering, and how the evolutionary perspective relates to that of New Economic Geography. Second, we discuss research on agglomeration externalities in Regional Science, and how Evolutionary Economic Geography contributed to this literature with the concepts of cognitive proximity and related variety. Third, we go into the role of institutions in Evolutionary Economic Geography, and we relate this to the way Institutional Economic Geography tends to view institutions. From this discussion, a number of new research challenges are derived.

Suggested Citation

  • Ron Boschma & Koen Frenken, 2011. "The emerging empirics of evolutionary economic geography," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1101, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jan 2011.
  • Handle: RePEc:egu:wpaper:1101
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    evolutionary economic geography; clusters; related variety; institutions; regional branching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B25 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Austrian; Stockholm School
    • B52 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Historical; Institutional; Evolutionary; Modern Monetary Theory;
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R0 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General
    • R1 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics

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