IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hhs/lucirc/2015_010.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Combining knowledge bases in transnational innovation - microfoundations and the geography of organization

Author

Listed:
  • Strambach , Simone

    (Department of Geography, Philipps-University of Marburg)

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to contribute both conceptually and empirically to a deeper understanding of the territorial shaping of knowledge combination and its development dynamics underpinning innovation. The importance of combining and integrating knowledge bases from different sources, geographical scales and heterogeneous actors is increasingly recognized in innovation studies. Yet, the question of what limits or enables knowledge combinations in innovation processes and what generates relatedness among unrelated knowledge bases in time and space is not fully answered. Conceptually the paper suggests a more specific focus on microfoundations and temporality by taking into account the economics of organization in more detail. This appears a particularly promising approach, as the causal relations and mechanisms across and between aggregated levels such as firms, sectors, regions, or nations are not well understood. Empirically the paper explores the micro-dynamics of knowledge combination and its territorial shaping from a transnational perspective. German-Chinese innovation projects in sustainable construction are investigated by using the methodology of innovation biography. This method allows following the time-space path of innovation. It enables capturing knowledge interactions and their unfolding in multi-scalar and cross-sectoral ways. The results underline a very dynamic geography of organization and barriers for knowledge integration at the micro-level rooted in organizational and institutional path dependencies. The investigation in the interplay between more permanent and temporary organizational forms and its geography holds a large potential for further research to provide new insights into the spatiality of combining knowledge bases in innovation processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Strambach , Simone, 2015. "Combining knowledge bases in transnational innovation - microfoundations and the geography of organization," Papers in Innovation Studies 2015/10, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2015_010
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://wp.circle.lu.se/upload/CIRCLE/workingpapers/201510_Strambach.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andre Torre, 2008. "On the Role Played by Temporary Geographical Proximity in Knowledge Transmission," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 869-889.
    2. James G. March, 1991. "Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 71-87, February.
    3. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma & Koen Frenken, 2015. "Proximity and Innovation: From Statics to Dynamics," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(6), pages 907-920, June.
    4. Martin, Roman & Moodysson , Jerker, 2011. "Comparing knowledge bases: on the organisation and geography of knowledge flows in the regional innovation system of Scania, southern Sweden," Papers in Innovation Studies 2011/2, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    5. Bjørn Asheim & Lars Coenen, 2006. "Contextualising Regional Innovation Systems in a Globalising Learning Economy: On Knowledge Bases and Institutional Frameworks," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 163-173, January.
    6. repec:nct:journl:v:17:y:2009:i:8:p:1223-1241 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Jannika Mattes, 2012. "Dimensions of Proximity and Knowledge Bases: Innovation between Spatial and Non-spatial Factors," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(8), pages 1085-1099, December.
    8. Olivier Crevoisier & Hugues Jeannerat, "undated". "Territorial Knowledge Dynamics: From the Proximity Paradigm to Multi-location Milieus," GRET Journal Papers 08-09, GRET Group of Research in Territorial Economy, University of Neuchâtel.
    9. Richerzhagen, Carmen & von Frieling, Tabea & Hansen, Nils & Minnaert, Anja & Netzer, Nina & Rußbild, Jonas, 2008. "Energy efficiency in buildings in China: policies, barriers and opportunities," IDOS Studies, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), volume 41, number 41.
    10. Bjørn Asheim & Ron Boschma & Philip Cooke, 2011. "Constructing Regional Advantage: Platform Policies Based on Related Variety and Differentiated Knowledge Bases," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(7), pages 893-904.
    11. Andre Torre & Alain Rallet, 2005. "Proximity and Localization," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 47-59.
    12. Nonaka, Ikujiro & Toyama, Ryoko & Nagata, Akiya, 2000. "A Firm as a Knowledge-Creating Entity: A New Perspective on the Theory of the Firm," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 9(1), pages 1-20, March.
    13. Markus Grillitsch & Michaela Trippl, 2014. "Combining Knowledge from Different Sources, Channels and Geographical Scales," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(11), pages 2305-2325, November.
    14. Robert M. Grant, 1996. "Prospering in Dynamically-Competitive Environments: Organizational Capability as Knowledge Integration," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 7(4), pages 375-387, August.
    15. Birgitte Andersen & Jeremy Howells & Richard Hull & Ian Miles & Joanne Roberts (ed.), 2000. "Knowledge and Innovation in the New Service Economy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2285.
    16. Teis Hansen, 2015. "Substitution or Overlap? The Relations between Geographical and Non-spatial Proximity Dimensions in Collaborative Innovation Projects," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(10), pages 1672-1684, October.
    17. Coenen, Lars & Moodysson, Jerker & Ryan, Camille & Asheim, Bjørn & Phillips, Peter, 2005. "Knowledge Bases and Spatial Patterns of Collaboration: Comparing the Pharma and Agro-Food Bioregions Scania and Saskatoon," Papers in Innovation Studies 2005/12, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    18. Simone Strambach, 2010. "Knowledge-Intensive Business Services (KIBS)," Chapters, in: Philip Cooke & Carla De Laurentis & Stewart MacNeill & Chris Collinge (ed.), Platforms of Innovation, chapter 7, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    19. Olivier Crevoisier & Hugues Jeannerat, 2009. "Territorial Knowledge Dynamics: From the Proximity Paradigm to Multi-location Milieus," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(8), pages 1223-1241, August.
    20. Frank Moulaert & Farid Sekia, 2003. "Territorial Innovation Models: A Critical Survey," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 289-302.
    21. Henrik Halkier & Laura James & Margareta Dahlström & Jesper Manniche, 2012. "Knowledge Dynamics, Regions and Public Policy," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(11), pages 1759-1766, November.
    22. Philip Cooke & Bjørn Asheim & Ron Boschma & Ron Martin & Dafna Schwartz & Franz Tödtling (ed.), 2011. "Handbook of Regional Innovation and Growth," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13482.
    23. Ron Boschma, 2005. "Proximity and Innovation: A Critical Assessment," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(1), pages 61-74.
    24. Simone Strambach & Benjamin Klement, 2011. "Cumulative and Combinatorial Micro-dynamics of Knowledge: The Role of Space and Place in Knowledge Integration," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(11), pages 1843-1866, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kujath, Hans Joachim & Pasternack, Peer & Radinger-Peer, Verena, 2020. "Governance-Formen des regionalen Wissenstransfers," Forschungsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Postlep, Rolf-Dieter & Blume, Lorenz & Hülz, Martina (ed.), Hochschulen und ihr Beitrag für eine nachhaltige Regionalentwicklung, volume 11, pages 76-118, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Franz Tödtling & Markus Grillitsch, 2015. "Does Combinatorial Knowledge Lead to a Better Innovation Performance of Firms?," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(9), pages 1741-1758, September.
    2. Geert Vissers & Ben Dankbaar, 2016. "Spatial Aspects of Interfirm Collaboration: An Exploration of Firm-Level Knowledge Dynamics," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(2), pages 260-273, February.
    3. Simone Strambach, 2013. "Micro-dynamics of knowledge: actors, processes and territorial organization," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2013-01, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    4. Karlsson, Charlie & Johansson, Börje & Kobayashi, Kiyoshi & Stough, Roger R., 2014. "Knowledge, innovation and space," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 367, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    5. Björn T. Asheim & Markus Grillitsch & Michaela Trippl, 2016. "Regional innovation systems: past – present – future," Chapters, in: Richard Shearmu & Christophe Carrincazeaux & David Doloreux (ed.), Handbook on the Geographies of Innovation, chapter 2, pages 45-62, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Davids, Mila & Frenken, Koen, 2015. "Proximity, knowledge base and the innovation process The case of Unilever’s Becel diet margarine," Papers in Innovation Studies 2015/7, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    7. Franz Tödtling & Alexander Auer, 2021. "Knowledge bases, innovation and multi-scalar relationships: which kind of territorial boundedness of industrial clusters?," Chapters, in: Dirk Fornahl & Nils Grashof (ed.), The Globalization of Regional Clusters, chapter 7, pages 163-188, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Rune Dahl Fitjar & Franz Huber & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2016. "Not too close, not too far: testing the Goldilocks principle of ‘optimal’ distance in innovation networks," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(6), pages 465-487, August.
    9. Anna Butzin & Brigitta Widmaier, 2012. "The Study of Time-Space Dynamics of Knowledge with Innovation Biographies," Working Papers on Innovation and Space 2012-07, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    10. Roman Martin & Jan Ole Rypestøl, 2018. "Linking content and technology: on the geography of innovation networks in the Bergen media cluster," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(10), pages 966-989, November.
    11. Bellandi, Marco & Chaminade, Cristina & Plechero, Monica, 2018. "Transformation paths and the multi-scalarity of knowledge bases under Industry 4.0 challenges," Papers in Innovation Studies 2018/14, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    12. Grillitsch, Markus & Sotarauta, Markku, 2018. "Regional Growth Paths: From Structure to Agency and Back," Papers in Innovation Studies 2018/1, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    13. Strambach Simone & Halkier Henrik, 2013. "Editorial. Reconceptualizing change," ZFW – Advances in Economic Geography, De Gruyter, vol. 57(1-2), pages 1-14, October.
    14. José Manuel López‐Fernández & Mariluz Maté‐Sánchez‐Val & Francisco Manuel Somohano‐Rodriguez, 2021. "The effect of micro‐territorial networks on industrial small and medium enterprises' innovation: A case study in the Spanish region of Cantabria," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 100(1), pages 51-77, February.
    15. Marcus Conlé & Henning Kroll & Cornelia Storz & Tobias ten Brink, 2023. "University satellite institutes as exogenous facilitators of technology transfer ecosystem development," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 147-180, February.
    16. Markus Grillitsch, 2016. "Institutions, smart specialisation dynamics and policy," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 34(1), pages 22-37, February.
    17. Strambach, Simone & Pflitsch, Gesa, 2020. "Transition topology: Capturing institutional dynamics in regional development paths to sustainability," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(7).
    18. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma & Koen Frenken, 2020. "Proximity, Innovation and Networks: A Concise Review and Some Next Steps," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2019, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Mar 2020.
    19. Hugues Jeannerat & Leila Kebir, 2012. "Mobility of Knowledge. Knowledge resources and markets: What territorial economic systems ?," GRET Publications and Working Papers 02-12, GRET Group of Research in Territorial Economy, University of Neuchâtel.
    20. Christophe Carrincazeaux & Frederic Gaschet, 2015. "Regional Innovation Systems and Economic Performance: Between Regions and Nations," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(2), pages 262-291, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    knowledge dynamics; transnational innovation; microfoundations; economics of organization; innovation biography;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • L20 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - General
    • L84 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Personal, Professional, and Business Services
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2015_010. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Torben Schubert (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/circlse.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.