Norwegian Input-Output Clusters and Innovation Patterns

Current understanding of innovation and technical change emphasises the importance of the systemic dimensions to innovation performance. Being a basis for the innovation system approach for analysing innovation activities, this emphasises the need for understanding economic and technological interaction beyond the level of firm to firm relations. Aggregate structural characteristics of user-producer links in the Norwegian economy are analysed in this paper through the use of input-output tables. The resulting clusters are described. The main question addressed in this paper is of the existence of cluster-wide innovation patterns; can we discern cluster specific modes of technical change and innovation at the cluster level, and if so, what are their main dimensions? We conclude that there is indeed cluster-specific signatures, or modes, of technical change, reflecting underlying innovation and technical specificities of industries and the complementary interaction between these that is highlighted by the cluster approach.