Structural Competitiveness and Learning Regions

Abstract

This paper explores changing notions of competitiveness. It first notes how quickly the Japanese economy, an exemplar of best practice and source of such organizational innovations as 'lean production' has passed its peak as a tutor economy. Currently, the USA is hegemonic in this respect, having applied key principles of 'structured competitiveness' with a strong emphasis on innovation through exploitation of science and technology in the research base, something in which Japan has traditionally been weak. The article develops this model of innovation management by explaining diverse aspects of innovation management learning at the regional level organized through the development of 'regional innovation systems'.

Keywords:

• Competitveness
• Innovation
• Learning
• Regions
• Systems