Geography of Growth. The Frequency, Nature and Consequences of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Regions of Varying Density
June 12-14, 2014
Venue: Hotel Bohusgården, Uddevalla, Sweden
Abstract Submission Deadline: January 20th, 2014
Keynote Speakers
The theme of the Uddevalla Symposium
It is often argued that a key to understand the geography of growth is to understand the geography of entrepreneurship and innovation. The economic dynamism and change-processes induced by entrepreneurship and innovation behaviour in the Schumpeterian sense are indeed put forth as important drivers of long-term growth and well-being of regions. At the same time it is increasingly recognized that there is considerable spatial heterogeneity in terms of the frequency, nature and consequences of these processes. In some regions, processes of entrepreneurship and innovation thrive over long periods of time, whereas other regions persistently show modest levels of innovation dynamics and firm dynamics. Similarly, recent research points to that the effect of entrepreneurship and innovation differs substantially across different types of regions. We still know very little about the sources of these kinds of spatial heterogeneities. For example: what are the sources of persistent regional variations in entrepreneurship and innovation activity? What explains spatial variations in the effects of entrepreneurship and innovation activities? To what extent are they for example due to that the nature of these activities is different in different regions?
The aim of the 17th Uddevalla Symposium is to gather high-quality contributions that bring new theoretical and/or new empirical knowledge of these issues. A key theme of the symposium is how and why the frequency, nature and consequences of entrepreneurship and innovation vary across different types of regions, in particular across regions of varying density. Improved knowledge of these questions is crucial for our understanding of the overall geography of growth.
We invite theoretical and empirical research papers across a range of disciplines and fields to contribute to the symposium. A non-exhaustive list of examples of topics of includes:
- Economic density and the rates and types of new firm formation
- Geographies of innovating firms and their innovation strategies
- Innovation radicalness and its links to regional resources
- Spatial sorting of innovative firms and employees
- Path creation and economic renewal
- Local institutions, social capital and new firm formation
- Industry structures and functional specializations as determinants of local entrepreneurship and innovation propensities
- The process of innovation, including its relevant inputs and measurable outcomes, in firms and/or industries across regions of varying density
- The role of local industrial heritage and culture on current innovation behaviour
- Opportunity- and necessity-based entrepreneurship in different local contexts
We welcome the submission of papers to the overall theme of the symposium or to one of the special sessions below. Please visit www.symposium.hv.se for further information about the special sessions.
I. Geography of Growth. The Frequency, Nature and Consequences of Entrepreneurship
and Innovation in Regions of Varying Density (overall theme)
II. Firm Level Studies on R&D, Innovation and Productivity Across Countries
Chair: Prof. Hans Lööf, CESIS, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
III. IP-based Entrepreneurship
Chair: Prof. Helen Lawton-Smith, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
IV. The Role of Policy in Geographies of Entrepreneurship
Chair: Prof. Helen Lawton-Smith, Birkbeck, University of London, UK
V. Destination and Regional Development with Focus on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Marifus)
Chair: Assoc. Prof. Yvonne von Friedrichs, Mid-Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden
VI. Place Management as a Key to Regional Transformation and Growth
Chairs: Dr. Ulrika Lundh Snis, MsSc. Tomas Lindroth & Director Place Management Christer Asplund, University West, Trollhättan Sweden
VII. Mechanism of Innovation - Collective Regional Assets, Market and Social in Regions or Cities
Chairs: Prof. Tomomichi Yoshikawa, Waseda University & Phd. Cand. Kazuhito Yamada, Hosei Graduate School of Regional Policy Design, Tokyo, Japan
VIII. Technology and Networks
Chairs: Prof. Håhan Ylinenpää and Prof. Joakim Wincent, Center for Interorganisational Innovation Research (CiiR), Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
IX. Obstacles and Opportunities for Entrepreneurship and Growth in Cross-border Regions
Chair: Dr. Urban Gråsjö, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
X. The Regional Balance in a Changing Environment
Chairs: Dr. Nils Karl Sørensen & Prof. Andreas P. Cornett, University of Southern Denmark, Sönderborg, Denmark
XI. Geographical Dynamics in Innovation and Production Networks and Regional Development
Chair: Dr. Ben Vermeulen, University of Hohenheim, Germany
XII. The Geography of Innovation and Growth
Chairs: Assoc. Prof. Johan Klaesson, Dr. Sara Johansson, Prof. Börje Johansson, Jönköping International Business School, Sweden & Prof. Frank van Oort, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
XIII. Exploring Time-Geography
Chair: Assoc. Prof. Per Assmo, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
XIV. Creative Class/Creative Economy
Chair: Dr. Kevin Stolarik, Research Director, The Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto, Canada
XV. Technology in Higher Education: From Open Resources to Global Learning (LINA)
Chair: Prof. Lars Svensson, Research Director, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
XVI. University Spin-offs and their Regional Economic Effects
Chair: Prof. Dr. Rolf Sternberg, University of Hannover, Germany
XVII. Transportation Infrastructure and Regional Economic Development
Chairs: Assoc. Prof. Kakuya Matsushima, Kyoto University, Graduate School of Urban Management, Japan & Prof. William (Bill) Anderson, University of Windsor, Cross-Border Institute, Canada.
XVIII. Local Density Conditions for Ethnic Entrepreneurship: Start-up, Strategy and Success
Chair: Prof. Dr. Veronique Schutjens, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
XIX. The role of Innovations in Regions of Varying Density
Chairs: Prof. Martin Andersson and Prof. Ron Boschma, CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden
XX. Cluster Dynamics and Entrepreneurship
Chairs: Prof. Kingsley. E. Haynes, School of Public Policy, George Mason University, USA
Objectives and publications
Following the tradition established by the previous symposia, starting in 1998, the symposium is designed to bring together leading-edge views of senior academic scholars and mix them with the critical and creative views of post-docs and PhD students engaged in their thesis work. We welcome researchers from various fields, such as economic geography, entrepreneurship, international business, management, political science, regional economics, small business economics, sociology and urban and regional planning.
The objectives of the seventeenth Uddevalla Symposium 2014 are: i) to provide a unique opportunity for scholars including senior and junior researchers to discuss path-breaking concepts, ideas, frameworks and theories in plenary key-note sessions and parallel competitive paper sessions, and ii) to facilitate the development and synthesis of important contributions into cohesive and integrated collections for potential publication. Therefore, unpublished complete papers are invited for presentation and feedback from other scholars. Leading-edge contributions from the previous symposia have appeared in special issues of prestigious journals and eleven edited book volumes. For a selected list of publications of previous symposia, please see http://www.symposium.hv.se/en/publications.This symposium will follow the same practice. In addition to an Uddevalla Symposium Proceeding, we are considering to publish either a special issue and/or a book volume consisting of a selection of papers presented and at the symposium.
Submission information
Abstract Submission Deadline: January 20th, 2014
Abstract – maximum 500 words including:
Title of the abstract/paper, selected theme (choose from the list above numbered from I to XIX.), keywords, Name(s) and academic title of the author(s), Affiliation(s), complete mail address(es), E-mail address(es) and corresponding author send by e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Submit the abstract using the Word 2010 version of Microsoft. We suggest naming your file “PRESENTERS NAME_Uddevalla2014.docx” to avoid confusion between abstracts.
Results of the review process will be communicated to authors by approximately
February 20th, 2014
Submission Deadline for Complete Papers accepted for presentation (in Word 2010 or earlier version):
May 5th, 2014
Best paper awards
To stimulate high quality papers a Best Paper Award of € 1.000 as well as a Best PhD Candidate Paper Award of € 700 will be awarded. The members of the scientific committee will select the winning papers. Only papers submitted before the deadline will be evaluated.
Scientific Committee
Prof. Martin Andersson, CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Assoc. Prof. Per Assmo, University West, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. David Audretsch, University of Indiana, Institute for Development Strategies, USA, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Paul Cheshire, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Rolf Dahlberg, University West, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Maryann Feldman, University of North Carolina, USA, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Börje Johansson, Jönköping International Business School, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Charlie Karlsson, Chair, Jönköping International Business School & University West, Sweden This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Assoc. Prof. Johan Klaesson, CEnSE, Jönköping International Business School, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Helen Lawton Smith, Birkbeck, University of London, UK, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Hans Lööf, CESIS, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Mark Partridge, AED Economics, Ohio State University, USA, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Roger R. Stough, George Mason University, USA, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Lars Svensson, LINA, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Håkan Ylinenpää, CiiR, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Organisation Committee
Ms. Iréne Bernhard, MSc & Tech.lic., Symposium Coordinator, University West, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Rolf Dahlberg, University West, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Urban Gråsjö, University West, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dr. Elisabeth Jansson, University West, Sweden This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prof. Charlie Karlsson, Chair, Jönköping International Business School & University West, Sweden. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ms. Rebecca Olsson, Symposium Assistant Coordinator, University West, Sweden, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Co-financers and sponsors
Center for Entrepreneurship and Spatial Economics (CEnSE), Jönköping International Business School, Sweden
Center for Innovation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy (CIRCLE), Lund University, Sweden
Center for Interorganisational Innovation Research (CiiR), Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Center of Excellence for Science and Innovations Studies (CESIS), Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm & Jönköping International Business School, Sweden
Fyrbodals Kommunalförbund, Sweden
George Mason University, School of Public Policy, Fairfax, VA, USA
Interreg Sweden-Norway & Interreg IV A Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerack
Municipality of Uddevalla, Sweden
University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
Further information about the symposium can be found at the symposium website www.symposium.hv.se