To Örebro University

This paper examines the implementation of smart specialization in Europe and exposes challenges arising from moving towards a more strategic (directional and non-neutral), place-based, and bottom-up mode of regional innovation policy. The analysis focuses on two small European nations - Wales and Estonia - and discusses the challenges that they have experienced with designing and implementing directional and non-neutral policies of smart specialization. Through a decade of research, drawing on interviews and documentary analysis, we find that in both cases, the entrepreneurial discovery process (EDP) was not conducted as it was envisioned. Furthermore, the undertaking of smart specialization has not necessarily delivered on the promise of orienting regional policy towards a more sustainable, place-based, and bottom-up approach. This has led to a situation where local problems as well as opportunities have been overlooked and local smart specialization agendas have instead been shaped by centrally chosen broad values and directions in a top-down manner.

In her book, 'Bad Feminist', Roxane Gay claims this label shamelessly, embracing the contradictory aspects of enacting feminist practice while fundamentally being 'flawed human[s]'. This article tells a story inspired by and enacting Roxane Gay's approach in academia, written by five cis-gendered women geographers. It is the story of a proactive, everyday feminist initiative to survive as women in an academic precariat fuelled by globalised, neoliberalised higher education. We reflect on what it means to be (bad) feminists in that context, and how we respond as academics. We share experiences of an online space used to support one another through post-doctoral life, a simple message thread, which has established an important role in our development as academics and feminists. This article, written through online collaboration, mirrors and enacts processes fundamental to our online network, demonstrating the significance and potential of safe digital spaces for peer support. Excerpts from the chat reflect critically on struggles and solutions we have co-developed. Through this, we celebrate and validate a strategy we know that we and others like us find invaluable for our wellbeing and survival. Finally, we reflect on the inherent limitations of exclusive online networks as tools for feminist resistance.

In this short paper we introduce a research project currently underway exploring the industrial development, and accompanying socio-economic changes, in an industrial town in Sweden: Karlskoga. Here we consider specifically the confluence of factors and issues around economic development on the one hand, and population and migration on the other hand. We illustrate, through the Karlskoga case of a town that has experienced profound ups and downs both in its economic trajectory but also in accompanying population and migration trends, the importance of considering these two elements in harmony. We posit that to undertake sustainable economic development in the future, old industrial towns such as Karlskoga need to centre their efforts around quality of life and place attractiveness, and not only think of industrial development in a narrow sense. This is an introductory work relating to a project which is ongoing.

Regional roles of universities in the Global South have been under-explored, and it is not clear how relevant are concepts originating from the Global North when applied in this context. The paper interrogates the concept of the ‘entrepreneurial university’ and its regional impact and engagement via a case study in Brazil. It is found that, in addition to purely entrepreneurial and economic activities and roles, initiatives relating to social innovation and entrepreneurship to solve profound regional problems are a key part of the university’s work. 

In this paper we make three points about the current state and promising future directions of qualitative research in our field of innovation policy research. First, we argue that research design and methods are dealt with quite superficially in most innovation policy studies papers and journals providing little guidance to new scholars as to how to approach their research. Secondly we argue that when methods are discussed, it tends to be a narrow range of qualitative methods that are used - most commonly a case study approach drawing on interviews and document analysis. Thirdly, we suggest broadening our approach to contain more participatory and action-based research; these are suggested as ways to include more groups in the research design, increase the impact of our work and allow us a deeper understanding of the formulation and development of innovation policy as is possible. We do not argue that the old methods should be put aside but that new additional approaches could be considered to capture the essence of innovation policy formulation.

This paper considers a concept gaining popularity: entrepreneurial ecosystems. It finds a significant lacuna in the concept as it stands as it does not sufficiently consider learning within regional ecosystems. Considering the established centrality of learning for entrepreneurial activity and regional development, it is surprising that the entrepreneurial ecosystem literature does not yet incorporate how learning occurs in time and space within regional ecosystems. This paper presents research conducted in the North West of England over (20) years examining programmes to support entrepreneurial and regional development. It argues that learning, and the pro-active support thereof, is crucial within an entrepreneurial ecosystem and should be fully considered within theoretical frameworks and policy blueprints designed to support and encourage entrepreneurship within regions. As a tangible suggestion of how to theoretically incorporate learning into entrepreneurship ecosystem development efforts, we present an integrated learning model developed by entrepreneurship scholars through collaborations with practitioners.

This paper examines the use of European Union Structural Funds to support the development of innovation policy within Wales during the period 2000-06. Drawing on data from the Welsh government and interviews with key stakeholders, it focuses specifically on the Technium programme, a high-profile technology-based innovation intervention that took a predominantly supply-side approach to supporting innovation, resulting in its eventual failure. Consistent within this is an analysis of the efficacy of supply-side policies using European Union funds to support research and development activities to aid economic growth in peripheral, weaker regions.