Beyond clusters: the implications of life science commodity chains for less-favoured regions

Birch, K. and Cumbers, A. (2009) Beyond clusters: the implications of life science commodity chains for less-favoured regions. [Data Collection]

Original publication URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-850317
Datacite DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-850317

Collection description

British regional policy has emphasised 'locally-bounded' innovation processes dependent upon regional knowledge bases, downplaying the role of global inter-linkages and inter-dependencies. Consequently, regional policy tends to stress the importance of endogenous capacity through the promotion of regional specialisation and competitiveness by constituting the region as the site of innovation drawing on the social, institutional and knowledge assets that are spatially embedded in particular places. These regions are seen as simultaneously competing in the global economy, although the focus on the concentration of innovation processes obscures the distribution of knowledge across regions and countries in the globalising, knowledge economy. This research project is designed to address these issues by using global commodity chain and global production network approaches to explore the life sciences industry in a less-favoured region (Scotland) where the policy emphasis on local capabilities and capacities raises a number of concerns. In particular, it will consider how innovation processes and knowledge operate across different locations and especially how they are both concentrated and dispersed throughout the commodity chain. Thus it will question why certain places are less 'successful' at attracting and embedding such processes than others, especially less-favoured regions suffering from the effects of industrial restructuring and uneven development.

College / School: College of Social Sciences
Date Deposited: 01 Aug 2014 14:32
URI: https://researchdata.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/49

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Birch, K. and Cumbers, A. (2009); Beyond clusters: the implications of life science commodity chains for less-favoured regions

University of Glasgow

DOI: 10.5255/UKDA-SN-850317

Retrieved: 2024-04-19