Levelling-up regional innovation: a configurational study

What explains the difference between innovative and not-innovative<br/>regions? Capitalizing on the fact that QCA (Qualitative Comparative<br/>Analysis) is a threshold method, this study investigates different<br/>configurations of conditions explaining why regions are innovative<br/>versus almost innovative. The differences suggest what must<br/>‘happen’ in almost-innovative regions to level-up to innovative<br/>regions. The QCA-study uses two different outcomes: new product<br/>development (a less complicated kind of innovation) and patent<br/>application (a more complicated innovation). It includes five<br/>explanatory conditions, capturing idea generation and knowledge<br/>production, and is performed on EU regions. Findings suggest a<br/>diversity of innovation where multiple configurations explain less<br/>sophisticated innovation competencies, but few explain more<br/>sophisticated innovation competences. Levelling-up thus requires<br/>regions to develop new, different competences rather than doing<br/>the same thing better. The seven innovation competences that this<br/>study identifies capture the diversity of innovation. These<br/>competences are the starting point for a discussion on levelling-up.<br/>Encouraging regional innovation is about matching these<br/>competences to a region’s economic possibilities, acknowledging<br/>that few regions will successfully develop all innovation competences.