Investigating the Systemic Nature of Knowledge Networks of Regions

Studying inter-regional knowledge exchange has recently shifted to a more systematic analysis of knowledge exchange mechanisms between networks of groups of actors, which have seen a rapid growth in number and impact. Although arbitrary or top-down decisions on network membership can result in low commitment and inefficient use of time and financial resources, empirical studies on such networks’ knowledge exchange mechanisms remain rare. This paper is the first to study such a mechanism at the national level and explore its role, structure, membership, scope, communication channels, power relations, geopolitical environment and systemic qualities, and their impact on knowledge exchange and learning practices. Based on in-depth text analysis of a variety of online documents and descriptive data collected from NILGA’s websites as well as interviews with 15 key informants from member and partner organisations of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association as a case study of a knowledge network of regions, it suggests policy recommendations on improving the efficiency of a knowledge networks of regions and how this benefits its members as well as fruitful directions for future studies