Book project 2005-2007 Special issue on Proximity, knnowledge and innovation in peripheral regions for European Planning studies. for European Planning studies.

 

The issue investigates the significance and the ambiguities that surround the notion of ‘proximity'. The focus is on ‘non-core' areas and sectors that are not at the apex of technological development. A question is if peripherality comes from distance to sources of knowledge creation and transfer. What do local agents use to scan, liaise with knowledge providers and sources elsewhere? What is the role of personal and organisational networks, trade information and journals, internet sources, fairs, associations and exhibitions? More specifically what are the institutions that are able to foster the dissemination and absorption of knowledge? What is the conceptual relation between peripherality and proximity?

One conclusion is that organisational proximity in terms of value chains are critical to local development. This is enabled by a high mobility of people and information. Localised forms of interaction do therefore not represent the apha and omega for local development and are unlikely to do so in the future.

 

Editors: Arnould Lagendijk, Anne Lorentzen.

Authors: Anne Lorentzen, AAU, Arnould Lagendijk, the Netherlands, Sija Virkkala, Finland, Knut Onsager, Arne Isaksen, Morten Fraas, Tom Johnstad, Norway, Mario Vale, Josué Caldeira, Portugal, Paul Benneworth, UK