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Handbook of Regional Science pp 1–18Cite as

Changes in Economic Geography Theory and the Dynamics of Technological Change

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Abstract

This chapter looks at the economic geography literature and sets out to explore the evolution of its intersections with innovation theories. The replacement of the linear model with more sophisticated conceptualizations of the process of innovation has made it possible to account for persistent disparities in innovative performance across space and has motivated researchers to incorporate the role of space and places in the analysis of innovation processes. From the physical-metrical approach of geography as distance to the emphasis on specialization and diversification patterns (geography as economic place), institutional-relational factors, non-spatial proximities, and “integrated” frameworks, economic geography theory has substantially evolved. The research frontier has moved onto the analysis of the territorial innovation impacts of global flows of capital, skills, knowledge, and ultimately value (through global value chains) and their implications for the rationale, design, and implementation of innovation policies.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the Editors of the Handbook for their encouragement and support with the revision of this chapter. This research has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme H2020/2014-2020 (Grant Agreement n 639633-MASSIVE-ERC-2014-STG). The author remains solely responsible for any errors contained in the chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Environment, London School of Economics, London, UK

    Riccardo Crescenzi

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  1. Riccardo Crescenzi
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Correspondence to Riccardo Crescenzi .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Economic Geography and GIScience, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria

    Manfred M. Fischer

  2. and Business Administration Department of Spatial Economics, Free University Faculty of Economics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Peter Nijkamp

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Crescenzi, R. (2020). Changes in Economic Geography Theory and the Dynamics of Technological Change. In: Fischer, M., Nijkamp, P. (eds) Handbook of Regional Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36203-3_35-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-36203-3_35-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-36203-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-36203-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Economics and FinanceReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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