The decisions made during the design process have a critical impact both on the design solution obtained but also on the design process itself. It can be observed that while the way in which products are developed differs not only across firms but within the same firm over time, what is being...

The System Dynamics methodology is used in this article as unifying approach in order to show how a number of theories about the performance of territories developed in the past 20 years can integrate the one with the other; to demonstrate this, a model of local economy coherent with these...

This paper presents an empirical study of GDP per worker (and per capita) convergence across German labour market regions during 1992 to 2002 using nonparametric techniques. There is evidence for a tendency towards convergence during the observed period, i.e. regions that were less productive in...

The aim of this paper is the realization of a Benchmark analysis about the relative position of the Valencian Innovation System. This comparison has been threefold comparing the Spanish, Mediterranean and European regions. In order to undertake this analysis, on the one hand, for the Spanish...

Innovation Systems constitute an analysis framework, which allows comprehending the socio-economic structure of a territory. In this context, and due to the importance of interactions, the present research intends to contribute a methodology and a set of indicators which help to increase the...

Ostdeutsche Unternehmen sind durch eine relative Innovationsschwäche gekennzeichnet, worin auch ein wesentlicher Grund für die Wachstumsschwäche der Region zu sehen ist. Mit der Wende 1989/90 lösten sich bestehende Beziehungsnetzwerke zwischen Wissenschaftseinrichtungen und Unternehmen...

The aim of this paper is to assess the evolution of regional productivity disparities in the European Union. Using a sample of 205 regions and 8 sectors on the 1975-2000 period, we use Esteban’s shift- share analysis to investigate the extent to which the existing interregional inequalities in...

A simple economic activity location rule is considered. Under this rule, one regards that location decisions depend on the presence or the absence of agglomeration economies. Considering a three-location economy, the system that is built leads, under certain conditions, to a saddle-path...

We use National Bank of New Zealand Regional Economic Activity data, to identify and characterise classical business cycle turning points, for New Zealand’s 14 regions and aggregate New Zealand activity. Using Concordance statistic measures, logistic model and GMM estimation methods,...

This article presents a model of the structure of the information flows that underlie the creation of production chains between thousands of small textile firms located in Prato, central Italy. Contrary to most textile industry of western Europe and north America, Prato did not die out once...