Innovationsdeterminanten im interregionalen Vergleich: Möglichkeiten zur Stärkung regionaler Innovationspotentiale

It is the aim of the paper to analyze whether regional innovation potentials might be utilized by strengthening regional innovation networks. Based on the hypothesis that the exchange of knowledge and information is positively influenced by spatial proximility, theoretical concepts dealing with regional aspects of innovation are discussed. By applying logistic regression modelsthe contribution of theoretically-based firm structures and regional variables to product and process innovation is analyzed for three types of regions, using a sample of 2.042 industrial firms.The results reveal only a low contribution of regional and networking charcteritics to firm innovation although transregional cooperations show a slightly higher statistical significance. According to this analysis, agglomeration has a positive effect on innovation, but this can only be traced in a regional environment which is not defined by administrative boundaries. Because of the strong explanatory effect of structural firm characteristics on innovation, the conclusion is drawn that regional innovation and technology policy should first of all be directed towards the improvement of innovation management capabilties in firms while their integration in transregional innovation networks complements the utilization and upgrading of regional innovation potentials.