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Abstract
The present paper examines the operation of business networks and the associated level of innovative activity in rural areas of the European Union by adopting a macro view. The empirical evidence is derived from field work carried out in 12 European Union areas located in six member states in the framework of a European Union funded research project. Results show that the spatial extension of business networks and businesses' innovative activity are highly influenced by a region's accessibility to central markets taking into account its level of economic development.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank professor Lois Labrianidis and an anonymous referee of this journal for useful comments. The research on which this paper is based forms part of the AsPIRE (Aspatial Peripherality Innovation and the Rural Economy) project, which is funded by the EU Fifth Framework (LIFE) Programme (Contract No QLK5-2000-00783). The research partnership comprises the Scottish Agricultural College, TEAGASC (Dublin), National University of Ireland, Galway, University of Valencia, University of Patras, University of Dortmund, and the University of Helsinki.