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Abstract: The subsequent volume revolves around the Social-Fields-Approach (SOFIA) as an approach to conceptualisation and operationalisation for the purpose of empirical research. It contributes a new perspective and approach in research on innovation. We believe that SOFIA can have implications for both academic research and practical applications in reshaping the existing instruments and governance arrangements in innovation policy. Whilst aplying SOFIA, we urge researchers to leverage the plurality of different qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method approaches in innovation studies, including less conventional methods, such as QCA (Ragin, 2008). Diligent application of SOFIA can also subsequently lead to the development of high-level theoretical contributions.
Keywords: technological development, innovations, open innovation, innovation 2.0, regional development, technologies, Regional Policy, circular economy, European Union, EU
Published in ReVIS: 12.01.2022; Views: 973; Downloads: 88
Full text (7,09 MB)

Abstract: In the new local-global interconnection, nation states are losing their influence and legitimacy, while economic and cultural transformations are reconfiguring spatial formations. Going in line with the global trends, regions grasp more importance in shaping the political, economic and social environments. As a result, the regional level has an important role in creating a proper socio-economic framework for innovation development, which is considered one the engines of development. Relying on the theory of Social fields, the research considers three social forces (networks, institutions, and cognitive frames) as an alternative explanation for innovation processes, by encompassing the aspects of different social fields on the regional level. Consequently, within this dissertation we approach regional innovation systems as an analytical unit for exploring innovation performance of a regional environment. As case studies, we selected seven regions with different levels of innovation performance. The analysis of the semi-structured interviews and the Qualitative Comparative Analysis emphasized the social forces are a special component for explaining innovation processes in the selected case studies. Nonetheless, the results offer insights for regional mechanisms within the innovation performance with the focus on an approach toward innovation that is beyond simple economics.
Keywords: Regional Systems of Innovations, Networks, Social Field, Social Forces, Qualitative Comparative analysis
Published in ReVIS: 17.02.2020; Views: 2517; Downloads: 92
Full text (3,40 MB)