Regional Systems of Innovation and the Knowledge Production Function : The Spanish Case

Analyzes the innovation capacities of regions,using the Spanish R&D system to establish a typology of regional systems ofinnovation. The study uses a database of a wide range of indicators of elementsfrom science, technology, and innovation thatmake up innovation systemsof 17 autonomous communities in Spain, from 1994 to 1998. An examination ofthe makeup of regional innovation systems and theirknowledge-generating capacities distinguishes four main factors impactinginnovation capacity: (1) the regional production and innovation environment,(2) the university, (3) the public administration, and (4) the privateenterprise. The typology of the Spanish R&D system for severalregions—Madrid, Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Navarra—andtheirinnovative capacity are measured. The findings point to theimportance of two factors in measuring the innovative capacity of Spanishregions: regional production and innovative environment. (CBS)