SPATIAL INEQUALITY AND LOCATION OF PRIVATE R&D ACTIVITIES IN BELGIAN DISTRICTS

This empirical paper focuses on the unequal spatial pattern of R&D activities in private business enterprises at the district (NUTS 3) level in Belgium in 2001. From the OECD R&D survey, we use both R&D expenditures and the number of R&D establishments to stress the importance of the appropriate indicator when describing a region's attractiveness for R&D activities. Inclusion of the specific economic structure of a region enables us to consider endogenous strengths. The presence of public knowledge generating organisations and transport infrastructure proved to be positive elements in a region's R&D activities. The first both in terms of R&D expenditures and number of R&D establishments. The latter only in terms of R&D expenditures. Copyright (c) 2005 by the Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG.