The reform of the European Structural Funds requires a classification of rural areas according to their level of economic development. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are a tool that potentially offers advantages compared to classical classification methods. This paper analyses the strengths...

Hauser C., Tappeiner G. and Walde J. (2007) The learning region: the impact of social capital and weak ties on innovation, Regional Studies 41, 75-88. Theories that emphasize the role of proximity and tacit knowledge in innovation processes highlight the importance of social interaction and...