Geography of innovation and growth : theory and empirics

Outline of the week

Technological change is the single most important drive of long run economic growth. In the recent economics literature scientists’ interests turned heavily to the regional dimension of this process that is the extent to which spatial proximity and agglomeration of the actors in innovation contribute to the effectiveness of the system both in terms of technological development and per capita growth. The focus of the first Pécs week is on the current state of affairs of this field in theory, empirical research and methodology. Leading international experts provide overviews from the theoretical perspectives of the new economic geography and evolutionary geography and summarize empirical results in entrepreneurship research and the geography of innovation. Sessions on spatial econometrics and spatial computable general equilibrium modeling are also provided to introduce students to empirical research methodology.

Coordinators

• Ron BOSCHMA, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands
• Attila VARGA, University of Pécs, Hungary

Teaching staff

• Ron BOSCHMA, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands,
• Giulio BOTTAZZI, Scuola Superiore S. Anna, Pisa, Italy,
• Stefano BRESCHI, Bocconi University, Italy,
• Mario MAGGIONI, Catholic University of Milan, Italy,
• Frank van OORT, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands,
• Stefano USAI, University of Cagliari, Italy,
• Attila VARGA, University of Pécs, Hungary

Monday, June 30

• 9.00 - 10.45: Overview: Innovation, geography and growth – Attila VARGA
• 11:00 – 12:45: Evolutionary economic geography – Ron BOSCHMA
• 14.00 - 16.00: PhD Presentation n°1 (Senior discussant: Attila VARGA)
• 16.15 - 17.45: PhD Presentation n°2 (Senior discussant: Ron BOSCHMA)

Tuesday, July 1

• 9.00 - 11.00: Localized knowledge flows and innovation – Stefano USAI
• 11.15 - 12.45: Interregional knowledge interactions in Europe – Mario MAGGIONI
• 14.00 - 16.00: PhD Presentation n°3 (Senior discussant: Stefano USAI)
• 16.15 - 17.45: PhD Presentation n°4 (Senior discussant: Mario MAGGIONI)

Wednesday, July 2

• 9.00 - 11.00: Modeling the spatial pattern of economic activities from an evolutionary perspective – Giulio BOTTAZZI
• 11.15 - 12.45: PhD Presentation n°5 (Senior discussant: Giulio BOTTAZZI)
• 14.00 - 16.00: Related variety, labor mobility and regional development – Ron BOSCHMA

Thursday, July 3

• 9.00 - 11.00: Methodology of testing agglomeration economies – Frank van OORT
• 11.15 - 12.45: PhD Presentation n°6 (Senior discussant: Frank van OORT)
• 14.00 - 16.00: Localized academic knowledge transfers and the structure of international research networks – Attila VARGA
• 16.15 - 17:00: PhD Presentation n°7 (Senior discussant: Stefano BRESCHI)

Friday, July 4

• 9.00 - 11.00: The geography of knowledge spillovers: Patent analysis – Stefano BRESCHI
• 11.15 - 12.45: Summing up and closing – Ron BOSCHMA and Attila VARGA