Differentiated regional entrepreneurial discovery processes. A conceptual discussion and empirical illustration from three emergent clusters

ABSTRACT

The paper aims to contribute to better understanding of entrepreneurial discovery processes and regional industrial growth by examining (1) how different regional contexts affect entrepreneurial discoveries, and (2) how entrepreneurial discoveries support specific types of industrial path development in different regions. The paper includes empirical studies of the formation and growth of three ‘official’ regional clusters supported by Innovation Norway’s programme for immature clusters. The paper argues that entrepreneurial discoveries should be institutionalized (by system level entrepreneurs) to achieve considerable regional industrial effects. In our cases institutionalization occurs through the creation of cluster organizations and development of the knowledge infrastructure.

KEYWORDS:

• Entrepreneurial discovery process
• entrepreneur
• regional innovation system
• path development
• regional cluster
• Norway

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Link to the Arena programme home page: http://www.arenaclusters.no/the-arena-programme/.

2 ‘The Norwegian Government most important instrument for innovation and development of Norwegian enterprises and industry’ www.innovasjonnorge.no.

3 We refer to economic regions as defined by Statistics Norway (Hustoft, Hartvedt, Nymoen, Stålnacke, & Utne, 1999), and which resemble labour market regions.

4 An independent and unpolitical interest organization created to coordinate local interests in different industries and professions.

5 Source: Home page of the Research Fund: http://www.regionaleforskningsfond.no/prognett-hovedstaden/Om_fondsregion_Hovedstaden/1253953954563.