IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/unm/unumer/2018027.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Knowledge convergence in European regions: Towards cohesion?

Author

Listed:
  • Akcomak, Semih

    (UNU-MERIT, and Middle East Technical University)

  • Erdil, Erkan

    (Middle East Technical University)

  • Cetinkaya, Umut Yılmaz

    (Middle East Technical University)

Abstract

In a knowledge economy, it is interesting to see that the concept of knowledge cohesion is a fertile soil for research. Despite the ongoing interest in investigating whether economic cohesion has been achieved in Europe there is no research that looks at knowledge cohesion. Though it is difficult to investigate such an abstract concept one can look at a more concrete concept such as convergence. Using the European Union Framework Programme data from 1984 to 2016 and simple network analysis and regressions we show that there are signs of knowledge convergence within the NUTS2 regions of Europe. Despite the fact that the top performers persist over the years convergence is much stronger among the less developed regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Akcomak, Semih & Erdil, Erkan & Cetinkaya, Umut Yılmaz, 2018. "Knowledge convergence in European regions: Towards cohesion?," MERIT Working Papers 2018-027, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2018027
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2018/wp2018-027.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Archibugi, Daniele & Lundvall, Bengt-Ake (ed.), 2001. "The Globalizing Learning Economy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199241095, Decembrie.
    2. Kevin Morgan, 2015. "Smart Specialisation: Opportunities and Challenges for Regional Innovation Policy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(3), pages 480-482, March.
    3. Eduardo Medeiros, 2017. "From smart growth to European spatial planning: a new paradigm for EU cohesion policy post-2020," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(10), pages 1856-1875, October.
    4. McCann, Philip & Ortega-Argilés, Raquel, 2016. "Smart Specialisation: Insights from the EU Experience and Implications for Other Economies," INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES - Journal of REGIONAL RESEARCH, Asociación Española de Ciencia Regional, issue 36, pages 279-293.
    5. G. M.P. Swann, 2009. "The Economics of Innovation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 13211.
    6. Edward Lorenz & B.-A. Lundvall, 2006. "How Europe's Economies Learn," Post-Print halshs-00483659, HAL.
    7. Robert J. Barro, 1991. "Economic Growth in a Cross Section of Countries," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 106(2), pages 407-443.
    8. Bengt-Åke Lundvall & Patarapong Intarakumnerd & Jan Vang (ed.), 2006. "Asia’s Innovation Systems in Transition," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 4090.
    9. Jan Fagerberg & Bart Verspagen, 1996. "Heading for Divergence? Regional Growth in Europe Reconsidered," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 431-448, September.
    10. Bart Verspagen & Marjolein C.J. Cani, ls, 2001. "Barriers to knowledge spillovers and regional convergence in an evolutionary model," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 307-329.
    11. M. Ozman, 2009. "Inter-firm networks and innovation: a survey of literature," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 39-67.
    12. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    13. Kincsö Izsak & Slavo Radošević, 2017. "EU Research and Innovation Policies as Factors of Convergence or Divergence after the Crisis," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 44(2), pages 274-283.
    14. Pierre-Alexandre Balland & Ron Boschma & Joan Crespo & David L. Rigby, 2017. "Smart Specialization policy in the EU: Relatedness, Knowledge Complexity and Regional Diversification," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1717, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Jul 2017.
    15. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2016. "Long-Term Persistence," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 14(6), pages 1401-1436, December.
    16. Jukka Partanen & Sylvie K. Chetty & Arto Rajala, 2014. "Innovation Types and Network Relationships," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(5), pages 1027-1055, September.
    17. Cowan, Robin, 2004. "Network models of innovation and knowledge diffusion," Research Memorandum 016, Maastricht University, Maastricht Economic Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    18. Lorenz, Edward & Lundvall, Bengt-Ake (ed.), 2006. "How Europe's Economies Learn: Coordinating Competing Models," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199203192, Decembrie.
    19. Philip McCann & Raquel Ortega-Argilés, 2013. "Transforming European regional policy: a results-driven agenda and smart specialization," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 29(2), pages 405-431, SUMMER.
    20. Luisa Gagliardi & Marco Percoco, 2017. "The impact of European Cohesion Policy in urban and rural regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 857-868, June.
    21. Philip McCann & Raquel Ortega-Argil�s, 2015. "Smart Specialization, Regional Growth and Applications to European Union Cohesion Policy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(8), pages 1291-1302, August.
    22. Bengt-ake Lundvall & Bjorn Johnson, 1994. "The Learning Economy," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 23-42.
    23. Bengt-Åke Lundvall & K. J. Joseph & Cristina Chaminade & Jan Vang (ed.), 2009. "Handbook of Innovation Systems and Developing Countries," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12943.
    24. Cantwell, John & Janne, Odile, 1999. "Technological globalisation and innovative centres: the role of corporate technological leadership and locational hierarchy1," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 119-144, March.
    25. Ugo Fratesi & Fiona G. Wishlade, 2017. "The impact of European Cohesion Policy in different contexts," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 817-821, June.
    26. Cantwell, John & Iammarino, Simona, 2001. "EU Regions and Multinational Corporations: Change, Stability and Strengthening of Technological Comparative Advantages," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 10(4), pages 1007-1037, December.
    27. Marco Percoco, 2017. "Impact of European Cohesion Policy on regional growth: does local economic structure matter?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 833-843, June.
    28. Philip McCann, 2015. "The Regional and Urban Policy of the European Union," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16000.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Erkan Erdil & İbrahim Semih Akçomak & Umut Yılmaz Çetinkaya, 2022. "Is There Knowledge Convergence Among European Regions? Evidence from the European Union Framework Programmes," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(2), pages 1243-1267, June.
    2. Bogner, Kristina, 2019. "Knowledge networks in the German bioeconomy: Network structure of publicly funded R&D networks," Hohenheim Discussion Papers in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 03-2019, University of Hohenheim, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
    3. Grafström, Jonas & Jaunky, Vishal, 2017. "Convergence of Incentive Capabilities within the European Union," Ratio Working Papers 301, The Ratio Institute.
    4. Crescenzi, Riccardo & Iammarino, Simona & Ioramashvili, Carolin & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Storper, Michael, 2020. "The geography of innovation and development: global spread and local hotspots," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 105116, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Bengt-Ake Lundvall, 2009. "The Danish Model and the Globalizing Learning Economy: Lessons for Developing Countries," WIDER Working Paper Series RP2009-18, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Francesco Foglia, 2023. "Is smart specialisation monopolising the research on the EU cohesion policy? Evidence from a bibliometric analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(2), pages 1001-1021, February.
    7. Fusaro, Stefano & Scandurra, Rosario, 2023. "The impact of the European social fund on youth education and employment," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    8. Matthias Firgo & Peter Mayerhofer, 2015. "Wissensintensive Unternehmensdienste, Wissens-Spillovers und regionales Wachstum. Teilprojekt 1: Wissens-Spillovers und regionale Entwicklung – Welche strukturpolitische Ausrichtung optimiert das Wach," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58342, Juni.
    9. Jan Fagerberg, 2010. "The Changing Global Economic Landscape: The Factors that Matter," Chapters, in: Robert M. Solow & Jean-Philippe Touffut (ed.), The Shape of the Division of Labour, chapter 1, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Mindaugas Butkus & Diana Cibulskiene & Alma Maciulyte-Sniukiene & Kristina Matuzeviciute, 2018. "What Is the Evolution of Convergence in the EU? Decomposing EU Disparities up to NUTS 3 Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-37, May.
    11. De Luca, Giacomo & Lisi, Domenico & Martorana, Marco & Siciliani, Luigi, 2021. "Does higher Institutional Quality improve the Appropriateness of Healthcare Provision?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 194(C).
    12. Vu, Khuong M & Asongu, Simplice, 2020. "Backwardness advantage and economic growth in the information age: A cross-country empirical study," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    13. Fagerberg, Jan & Srholec, Martin & Verspagen, Bart, 2010. "Innovation and Economic Development," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 833-872, Elsevier.
    14. Lundvall, Bengt-Åke, 2022. "Transformative policies for sustainable innovation systems," Lund Papers in Economic History 239, Lund University, Department of Economic History.
    15. Ignacio Sacristán López-Bravo & Carlos San Juan Mesonada, 2022. "Effects of Policy Mix on European Regional Convergence," EconPol Working Paper 73, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    16. Magrini, Stefano, 2004. "Regional (di)convergence," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 62, pages 2741-2796, Elsevier.
    17. Matthias Firgo & Peter Mayerhofer, 2015. "Wissens-Spillovers und regionale Entwicklung - welche strukturpolitische Ausrichtung optimiert des Wachstum?," Working Paper Reihe der AK Wien - Materialien zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft 144, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik.
    18. Panagiotis KOUDOUMAKIS & George BOTZORIS & Angelos PROTOPAPAS, 2021. "The Contribution Of Cohesion Policy To The Development And Convergence Of The Regions Of The European Union," Regional Science Inquiry, Hellenic Association of Regional Scientists, vol. 0(2), pages 277-290, June.
    19. Ron Boschma, 2021. "Designing Smart Specialization Policy: relatedness, unrelatedness, or what?," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2128, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Sep 2021.
    20. Michael A. Peters, 2011. "Three Forms of the Knowledge Economy: Learning, Creativity and Openness," Chapters, in: Roger King & Simon Marginson & Rajani Naidoo (ed.), Handbook on Globalization and Higher Education, chapter 5, Edward Elgar Publishing.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    knowledge; convergence; cohesion; diffusion; Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

    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:unm:unumer:2018027. 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: Ad Notten (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/meritnl.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.