Technology Cities in Norway: Innovating in Glocal Networks

摘要

This paper compares learning, knowledge flows and innovation processes in the high-tech clusters in four small Norwegian cities, which are specialized in high-tech industries. It addresses how the clusters have developed historically with important national stimuli and engagement, examines what existing knowledge sources and innovation networks the high-tech firms use and are integrated in, and identifies which of these are particularly locally rooted vis-a-vis relying more on global pipelines. The paper underlines the importance of glocal (global and local) networks for the innovation capabilities of high-tech firms in small regional clusters. However, it also critically examines the concepts of glocal networks and "local buzz and global pipelines", and argues in particular for the need to take into account some other types of proximities and spatial levels that directly and indirectly are focused by these concepts. Thus, the national level is found to be central in initiating the building of clusters in new industries, particularly in "resource thin" peripheral regions.