Relatedness, industrial branching and technological cohesion in US metropolitan areas, Regional Studies. Work by evolutionary economic geographers on the role of industry relatedness for regional economic development is extended into a number of methodological and empirical directions. First, relatedness is measured as the intensity of inputoutput linkages between industries. Second, this measure is employed to examine industry evolution in 360 US metropolitan areas. Third, an employment-weighted measure of metropolitan technological cohesion is developed. The results confirm that technological relatedness is positively related to metropolitan industry portfolio membership and industry entry and negatively related to industry exit. The decomposition of technological cohesion indicates that the selection of related incumbent industries complements industry entry and exit as the main drivers of change in metropolitan technological cohesion.

The study focuses on the development path of a tourism destination area centered around a special nature reserve and adjacent rural communities in the northern part of Serbia. Utilizing evolutionary economic geography (EEG) as an increasingly present theoretical and conceptual framework in the studies of tourism, this research project employs key EEG concepts of ‘path dependence’ and ‘co-evolution’. ‘Path dependence’ examines different social, economic, institutional and sectoral factors that direct, propel and/or hinder destination development, while ‘co-evolution’ analyzes causal and relational exchanges of stakeholders within and associated with the destination. The objective of this study is to trace developmental and relational trajectories of the nature reserve, tourism enterprises in its vicinity, and the place and role of public sector in these processes. The study, therefore, aims to analyze: (1) how the concept of ‘path dependence’ applies to the tourism development path of the nature reserve; (2) the dynamics of co-evolutionary and relational exchange processes in the nature reserve destination area, namely those occurring between actors operating in both public and private sectors. The two combined EEG approaches, previously not applied within the outlined geographical context, serve to illustrate and explain overall development mechanisms within a tourism destination, relevant economically, socio-culturally as well as environmentally for its region and on the tourism market of Serbia. When methodology is concerned, the study is in form of a case study, with primary data drawn from semi-structured, in-depth interviews and supported with complementary data from relevant scientific articles, government documents, web sites and other publications. The study findings show that the nature reserve in its tourism growth displays a path dependence determined by two seemingly diverging factors: (1) rules and regulations pertaining to protected areas such as nature reserves dictate tourism development and (2) the reserve management entrepreneurial skills play a noteworthy role in shaping its tourism growth. Apart from path dependence, the tourism development path associated with the nature reserve displays path plasticity, which represents a new direction in tourism growth based on the existing infrastructural and managerial framework. Moreover, the study outcomes indicate that levels, directions and intensity of co-evolutionary and relational exchanges among all stakeholders included demonstrate several different patterns. While there is detectable relationship between the nature reserve and most local tourism-related stakeholders, relationships among local stakeholders themselves are rather uneven. Similar patterns are found regarding the involvement of public sector. Public sector is closely linked with the nature reserve, however, its association with other tourism stakeholders in the destination area is uneven.  These findings support the idea that each destination area stands as a unique and complex entity, with various endogenous and exogenous factors shaping its growth.

A fundamental research question in regional economic development, is why some regions are able to diversify into new products and industries, while others continue to face challenges in diversification? This doctorate research explores the different pathways to diversification. It follows the three-stage modular structure of DBA for Cranfield School of Management. This thesis consists of a systematic literature review, a single qualitative case study on UAE, and a research synthesis of published cases on Singapore, Norway and UAE. The linking document provides a summary of the three projects and consolidates findings and contributions into a path creation model that provides new understanding on the pathways to regional diversifications. This research integrates existing theoretical foundations of evolutionary economic geography, institutional economic geography, path dependence, industry relatedness, economic complexity, and path creation into a unified conceptual path creation model. It generates propositions, builds a framework and develops a matrix for path creation that integrate context, actors, factors, mechanisms and outcomes shaping regional diversification. It finds that in the context of path dependence and existing conditions of a region, economic actors undertake strategic measures to influence the institutional capabilities to accumulate knowledge and trigger indigenous creation, anchoring, branching, and clustering diversification mechanisms to create complex varieties of related and unrelated diversification outcomes. The institutional collaboration capabilities are found to be instrumental in accumulating knowledge and determining the relatedness and complexity of diversification outcomes. This research further provides a set of integrated platform strategies to guide policy-makers on setting up the pathways to regional diversification.

There is a growing awareness of, and commitment to, Responsible Investment (RI) in the institutional investment markets internationally. RI is defined as the consideration of environmental, social and/or governance (ESG) issues in long-term oriented investment decision-making. As the role of ESG in determining investment risk and opportunity becomes more evident, and as ESG data becomes more available, RI is increasingly seen as an area of potential investment innovation. This thesis applies institutional, evolutionary and relational economic geography theories to examine this trend, exploring the mainstreaming of RI through novel empirical and conceptual research. This thesis examines the investment learning processes and information channels available in Western liberal market economies of the UK, US and Australia. It adopts economic geography knowledge and innovation frames towards answering the question: 'Now that ESG information is more widely available in the investment markets, why has this not catalysed a greater shift towards RI integration in mainstream investment decisions?'. Learning, language and leadership factors within the institutional investment industry are all argued to help answer this question. This research uses a mixed method approach, with analysis based on a survey of 154 investment professions, 97 semi-structured interviews and a case of RI innovation. This thesis develops a conceptual framework of the communication channels and information sources used in investors' innovation-decision-process, drawing attention to the importance of both social and asocial learning processes in generating and sharing knowledge about climate issues within investment markets. Following this, the thesis examines the role of 'local buzz' and 'global pipelines' in facilitating access to, and uptake of, ESG information. Levels of buzz and pipelines are found to vary in different financial centres, and are facilitated by formal and informal networking linked to RI groups. Importantly, then, this thesis finds that both spatial and relational proximity influence investors' access to ESG information and RI knowledge. The second half of this thesis examines whether and how RI information, knowledge and practice can be integrated into existing individual and organisational decision-making frameworks. It highlights the need to better translate RI information into investment-relevant language, and provides an example of how environmentally-driven stranded assets can be reframed as a version of sunk costs, contributing novel spatial-temporal theorisations of this concept. Through an illustration of RI decision-making by the investment consultant Mercer and the University of Sydney endowment fund, this thesis highlights that the capacity to integrate RI through the investment chain does exist. However, willingness to do so is found to be hindered by institutional and organisational path dependent norms, reduced only in some firms by seeing RI as an innovative area of competitive advantage from growing client demand. This thesis therefore finds that RI is being adopted in increasingly more mainstream investment firms, but this is not always fully integrated throughout the firm, and that uptake is geographically varied based on exposure to networks of information and knowledge sharing, and institutional, organisational and individual norms. Ultimately, this thesis therefore contributes towards understandings of the processes underpinning the mainstreaming of RI, but also contributes to broader economic geographies of investment, knowledge sharing and innovation.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2015-11-23T16:32:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Rafael Stefani_.pdf: 1159352 bytes, checksum: 2997007b7807eb211a566cbfb832e378 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-11-23T16:32:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rafael Stefani_.pdf: 1159352 bytes, checksum: 2997007b7807eb211a566cbfb832e378 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-15 / Nenhuma / A Economia da Tecnologia tem como natureza estudar o desenvolvimento do progresso técnico, as suas dimensões microeconômicas, o processo de difusão tecnológica e a sua influência no desenvolvimento econômico. Frequentemente combinada com o pensamento evolucionista, a Economia da Tecnologia estuda a firma sob uma perspectiva sistêmica, na qual a história, os vínculos externos, o território e as instituições formam, em conjunto, o Sistema de Inovação que é capaz de condicionar o desempenho tecnológico e competitivo da região. Para esse enfoque, o espaço importa, e diferentes proximidades são relevantes para se compreender o comportamento inovador da firma. A Geografia Econômica, a partir da virada institucional, ocupa-se cada vez mais com a ideia de evolução (NELSON; WINTER, 1982) e de proximidade na formação da paisagem econômica, que entende as experiências e as competências aprendidas por indivíduos em determinada localidade ao longo do tempo como elemento que pode, em grande medida, determinar o presente e a trajetória futura do espaço. Para investigar o caminho traçado pela região, economistas têm procurado pistas em diversas disciplinas relacionadas (ciência regional, geografia da inovação, etc.) originando um subcampo dentro da economia intitulado Geografia Econômica Evolucionária. Nesta corrente, a inovação é capaz de provocar alteração na dinâmica econômica regional, e o conhecimento assume postura central nesse contexto. A ideia fundamental é que existe a necessidade de interação e comunicação para ocorrer a troca de conhecimento entre agentes, que é sustentada por diversos tipos de proximidade. Partindo desses conceitos, o trabalho procura entender o comportamento das dinâmicas de proximidades nas interações estabelecidas pelas firmas para a realização de suas atividades inovativas e utiliza como objeto de análise o setor de equipamentos médico-hospitalares do Rio Grande do Sul. Como forma de atingir seu objetivo, o trabalho faz uso de pesquisa survey para a coleta de dados e utiliza ferramenta voltada à análise de redes sociais. Os resultados indicam que a proximidade geográfica e a proximidade social atuam como importante drive na formação das relações da amostra. A proximidade institucional demonstrou alguma importância para o setor; porém, não se pode dizer o mesmo para as dimensões cognitiva e organizacional. O profissional da saúde (médico, enfermeiro, odontologista, etc.) é identificado como agente que assume caráter estratégico e é capaz de induzir a inovação. Também se pode citar uma relação intensa (porém menos estratégica) com fornecedores de peças especializadas e os hospitais, estes últimos utilizados sob condições específicas. As relações com universidades são realizadas em situações críticas (gargalos tecnológicos), para as quais não são encontradas soluções no ambiente interno ou junto aos fornecedores. Como contribuição central do trabalho para a discussão teórica da área, destaca-se o olhar do estudo, atento à formação estrutural da rede de contatos construída pelas firmas voltadas à produção de equipamentos médicos, hospitalares e odontológicos do RS. Essa pesquisa também contribui para uma literatura sobre as dinâmicas de proximidade que recentemente vêm ganhando destaque, e que transita ativamente nos periódicos internacionais, mas, a priori, ainda ocupa um espaço relativamente pequeno nos principais jornais e revistas nacionais. Finalmente, considerando o ponto de vista evolucionário e a centralidade que a inovação representa nesse contexto, a pesquisa tem potencial para auxiliar no aprofundamento da literatura voltada para a dinâmica inovativa da saúde, especialmente, do setor médico-hospitalar do Rio Grande do Sul, tema que concentra baixa produção bibliográfica e merece maiores aprofundamentos para sua promoção. / The Economics of Technology has as nature study the development of technical progress, its microeconomic dimensions, the technological diffusion process and its influence on economic development. Often combined with evolutionary thought, the Economics of Technology studies the firm from a systemic perspective, in which the history, external links, the territory and the institutions together form the Innovation System that is capable of conditioning the technological performance and competitive in the region. For this approach, the space matter and proximity is considered, on occasion, an asset and hence is sought.The Economic Geography increasingly sees the idea of evolution (Nelson and Winter, 1982) in shaping the economic landscape. It is believed that experiences and skills learned over time by individuals in a given location can to a large extent determine the present and the future trajectory of the space. To investigate the path dependence by the region, economists have looked for clues in various related disciplines (regional sciences, geography of innovation, etc.) resulting in a subfield within the economy titled Evolutionary Economic Geography. In essence, the economic landscape innovative process is considered central element and uneven between regions, since knowledge takes central position in this context. The main idea is that there is a great need for interaction and communication to occur knowledge exchange between agents, which is supported by types of proximity. From this premise, the work seeks to understand the vicinity of dynamics of behavior in interactions established by firms to carry out their innovative activities and uses as analyzed in the sector of medical device of Rio Grande do Sul. To reach this goal, the work uses survey research to collect data and tool aimed at analyzing social networks. The results indicate that the geographical proximity and social proximity act as important drive to formation of the sample relations. Institutional proximity showed some importance for the sector, however, cannot say the same for the dimensions of cognitive and organizational proximity. The health professional (physician, nurse, dentist, etc.) is identified as an agent that takes a strategic nature and is capable of inducing innovation. It’s possible to observe an intense relationship (but less strategic) with suppliers of specialized parts and hospitals, the latter under specific conditions. Relations with universities are carried out in critical situations (technological bottlenecks), which are not found solutions inside environment or with suppliers. As a central contribution of this work to the theoretical discussion of the area, there is the look of the study, turned to the structural formation of the network built by firms geared to the production of medical device of RS. This research also contributes to the literature on the dynamics proximity that growing, and actively moves in international journals, but, a priori, still occupies a relatively small space in publications and national academic journals. Finally, considering the evolutionary point of view and the centrality that innovation is in this context, research has the potential to assist in the further development of targeted literature for the innovative dynamics of health, especially the medical device sector of Rio Grande do Sul, theme concentrating low bibliographic production and deserves further insights for your promotion.

A fundamental research question in regional economic development, is why some regions are able to diversify into new products and industries, while others continue to face challenges in diversification? This doctorate research explores the different pathways to diversification. It follows the three-stage modular structure of DBA for Cranfield School of Management. This thesis consists of a systematic literature review, a single qualitative case study on UAE, and a research synthesis of published cases on Singapore, Norway and UAE. The linking document provides a summary of the three projects and consolidates findings and contributions into a path creation model that provides new understanding on the pathways to regional diversifications. This research integrates existing theoretical foundations of evolutionary economic geography, institutional economic geography, path dependence, industry relatedness, economic complexity, and path creation into a unified conceptual path creation model. It generates propositions, builds a framework and develops a matrix for path creation that integrate context, actors, factors, mechanisms and outcomes shaping regional diversification. It finds that in the context of path dependence and existing conditions of a region, economic actors undertake strategic measures to influence the institutional capabilities to accumulate knowledge and trigger indigenous creation, anchoring, branching, and clustering diversification mechanisms to create complex varieties of related and unrelated diversification outcomes. The institutional collaboration capabilities are found to be instrumental in accumulating knowledge and determining the relatedness and complexity of diversification outcomes. This research further provides a set of integrated platform strategies to guide policy-makers on setting up the pathways to regional diversification.

The study deals with application of related variety concept and other evolutionary economic geography approaches in the economic landscape of postsocialist states of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The goal was to define different types of variety and explore the relationship between these varieties and economic development in CEE countries between 1993 and 2009. The analysis is based on the theoretical and analytical framework presented in studies realized in the most developed countries of Western Europe. The important finding is that this kind of research allow to conclude that different types of variety influence the economic development, but some of the results are different from those in prior studies. The porfolio effect of unrelated variety was not confirmed. However, the results show strong evidence that related variety stimulates employment growth and usually contributes to GDP growth of CEE countries. The results also indicate, that high variety of related sectors could be crucial for future development of new industries (especially in Central Europe). Keywords: evolutionary economic geography, related and unrelated variety, economic development, Central and Eastern Europe