Location, agglomeration and innovation: Towards regional innovation systems in Norway?

This report is a slightly revised version of a paper presented at the Symposium of the Commission of the Organisation of Industrial Space, the 28th International Geographical Congress, The Hague, The Netherlands, August 5-10, 1996. A shortened version of the report will be published in European Planning Studies in 1997.The theoretical part of the report examines the concept of regional innovation systems on the background of modern theories of innovation. The view of interactive learning as a fundamental aspect of the innovation process provides the ground for an interactive innovation model, which is greatly facilitated by geographical proximity and territorial agglomeration. The empirical part of the report analyses geographical variations in innovation activity in Norwegian industry. In this part we also identify different types of industrial agglomerations in Norway, and tries to measure international competitiveness, job growth and innovative activity in these agglomerations compared with corresponding industrial sectors nationwide, and also examining more thoroughly innovation performance in two industrial agglomerations in Norway, Horten and Jæren. On the basis of the theoretical clarification and empirical analyses carried out, the article finally discuss how to design a regional innovation policy for three main area types in Norway.