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One Knowledge Base or Many Knowledge Pools?

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  • Bengt-Åke Lundvall

Abstract

It is increasingly realized that knowledge is the most important resource and that learning is the most important process in the economy. Sometimes this is expressed by coining the current era as characterised by a ‘knowledge based economy’. But this concept might be misleading by indicating that there is one common knowledge base on which economic activities can be built. In this paper we argue that it is more appropriate to see the economy as connecting to different ‘pools of knowledge’. The argument is built upon a conceptual framework where we make distinctions between private/public, local/global, individual/collective and tacit/codified knowledge. The purpose is both ‘academic’ and practical. Our analysis demonstrates the limits of a narrowly economic perspective on knowledge and we show that these distinctions have important implications both for innovation policy and for management of innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Bengt-Åke Lundvall, 2006. "One Knowledge Base or Many Knowledge Pools?," DRUID Working Papers 06-08, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
  • Handle: RePEc:aal:abbswp:06-08
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    Cited by:

    1. Edward J. Malecki, 2010. "Everywhere? The Geography Of Knowledge," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(1), pages 493-513, February.
    2. Trippl, Michaela, 2006. "Cross-Border Regional Innovation Systems," SRE-Discussion Papers 2006/05, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    3. Elena Goracinova & David A. Wolfe, 2019. "Regional Resilience and the Future of Ontario’s Automotive Sector in the Age of Digital Disruption," PEGIS geo-disc-2019_06, Institute for Economic Geography and GIScience, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    4. Manuel González-López & Ivano Dileo & Francesco Losurdo, 2014. "University-Industry Collaboration in the European Regional Context: the Cases of Galicia and Apulia Region," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 10(3), pages 57-88.
    5. Edward Malecki, 2010. "Global Knowledge and Creativity: New Challenges for Firms and Regions," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(8), pages 1033-1052.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Knowledge; economic development;

    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

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