Global and local knowledge networks in innovation. a case study of Polish manufacturing enterprises

Ideas of learning regions and regional innovation systems and innovation networks have for long been in focus in economic geography. The importance of geographic proximity between innovating partners is widely unquestioned and documented by studies of high-tech areas in advanced countries. Not much has been said until now about the pattern of cooperation among firms in low and medium tech industry in more peripheral locations. What patterns of knowledge sourcing can be detected in such industries? The article detects the pattern and role of knowledge sourcing of such firms. It looks at the type and scale of external knowledge sourcing and the relative importance of different kinds of knowledge sources. The analysis shows that the firms are capable of sourcing knowledge flexibly and in a complex way, and that there is s division of labour between regional, global and national knowledge sources, of which global sources are considered most important to innovation, while the regional level basically provides a labour market. Firms are able to establish direct links to knowledge sources at all scales, and widely rely on ICT and their access to foreign customers. This questions the proximity hypothesis and the regional focus of industrial and regional innovation policies.