Research and technology management in enterprises. Issues for community policy. Case study on Wallonie - Limburg - Aachen /Euroregion/

This empirical study investigates problems and practices of technology management in enterprises in the so-called EUREGION, a Dutch-German-Belgian border region. Interviews were conducted in 45 firms, and additional information was gained from a survey of nearly 500 companies in this region. Both the results of the interview and of our survey do not point to any kind of specific "Euregional" type or problem of research and technology management. In the final analysis, the regional environment seems to be of limited importance for the way enterprises approach technology management. Companies define their problems less in terms of there location and more in terms of their own size and sector and the technological trajectory on which they are operating. Cross-border networking between enterprises is at a low level and a specific orientation or strategy of firms with regard to the EUREGION does not exist. Companies, and SMEs in particular, in the subregions of the EUREGION search their te chnology partners in the rest of their own country instead of looking for cooperation opportunities just across the border.