Smart specialization policies: innovative performance models from European regions

ABSTRACT

This research seeks to identify the factors that best explain the performance of regional innovation in Europe, in the era of smart specialization. Data were collected from the Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2016 and a quantitative methodology was followed using linear regressions as statistical methods. The results allowed us to reach four explanatory models of performance innovation for Innovative Regions Leader, Strong, Moderate and Modest. Some policies have also been suggested as possible regional innovation measures that can help policy makers to clarify and improve the innovation performance of these regions.     

The development of competitiveness clusters in Croatia: a survey-based analysis

ABSTRACT

In order to stimulate growth and competitiveness, many EU member states have implemented cluster-based development strategies. Several works underline the benefits of policy-driven clusters, but understanding how clusters can create value for their members is still an open issue. This work contributes to the literature by investigating 13 Competitiveness Clusters in Croatia, a special type of policy-driven clusters developed within the country’s smart specialization strategy, using original data from a survey on 250 cluster members. Our results indicate the existence of very different attitudes towards the rationale for the initiative. In particular, while some members are more interested in lobbying activities, others see networking and innovation as the most important objectives of clusters. Findings also show that the evaluation of cluster management, governance and performance varies according to the desired objectives. Overall the Competitiveness Clusters initiative in Croatia did not meet members’ expectations.     

Outsmarting geography: implementing territorial innovation strategies in sparsely populated regions

The smart specialization literature has hardly addressed the role of geography in promoting novel approaches to local and regional innovation processes beyond classic clustering approaches. Based on empirical observations from five sparsely populated regions, the present article proposes original insights that contribute to the theoretical debate on the place-based nature and spatial dimension of entrepreneurial discovery, the key functional mechanism behind smart specialization. First, it advocates the added-value of integrating strategic spatial planning approaches at different stages of smart specialization implementation, from design to operationalization. Second, it suggests that more effective ways of creating domains through shared knowledge bases of existing sectors should aim at promoting collaboration between second-tier economic agents. Finally, the specificity of the territorial preconditions found in sparsely populated regions brings to the fore new forms of proximity relations based on institutional, cognitive and organizational proximity rather than on geographical clustering.     

中国南北气候差异对古代青铜镜铸造质量的影响及其相关问题

本文就中国南北气候差异对古代青铜镜铸造质量产生的影响进行了探讨,并佐以实验论证,指出古人在铸造青铜镜的过程中,在烧制好陶范以后采用了“热出冷浇”工艺。     

中国青铜时代不存在失蜡法铸造工艺

长期以来,学术界公认曾侯乙尊盘和淅川下寺铜禁是采用失蜡法工艺铸造。近年来,我们对相关实物进行了仔细的研究,发现在被认为是失蜡法工艺铸造的部件上都有明确的范缝和其它范铸工艺的特征。因此,无论是曾侯乙尊盘还是淅川下寺铜禁都不可能是用失蜡法工艺铸造的。进一步的研究表明,在青铜时代,我国广大地区普遍采用范铸工艺,商代中期之前,主要是整体铸造,商代中期至西周,主要还是整体铸造,但开始了分铸插接工艺;春秋以后则主要采用分铸和焊接工艺;既没有失蜡法铸造的器例,也没有失蜡法工艺产生的必要的技术基础和社会需求。     

清中晚期双龙五凤点翠冠饰材质与工艺研究

为从科学分析的角度研究清代点翠首饰的材质与工艺,本研究以陕西旬邑县唐家大院清中晚期双龙五凤点翠冠饰为研究对象,通过超景深三维视频显微镜和扫描电子显微镜观察点翠冠饰的显微形貌、X射线能谱仪分析点翠冠饰制作材料的化学成分、傅里叶显微红外光谱仪分析点翠中使用胶黏剂的种类。研究表明,点翠冠饰的胎体以金属和木质为主,辅以花丝、捻金线、鎏金等细金工艺制作而成,使用动物胶将翠羽黏接在胎体上,点翠所用的翠羽主要是蓝色的羽枝。双龙五凤点翠冠饰的材料较少使用黄金等贵金属,而是以纯铜、纯银或铜银合金为基体、表面鎏金的金属材料或者木质材料制作,充分节省了冠饰制作的成本并减轻了重量。研究成果为传统点翠工艺提供详实的数据支持,对点翠工艺的传承、发展、创新提供一定的帮助。     

中国传统漆器的“经典之作”

中国的传统漆器工艺是人类文化遗产宝库中的一颗明珠,本文介绍了在漆器工艺发展史上代表当时世界最高水平,并对中外漆器工艺发展进程起过重要作用,奠定中国传统漆器工艺基本特征的四个漆器工艺品种。     

关中、中原、山东半岛三城市群产业结构与分工的比较研究

采用区位商、相对专业化指数和相对多样化指数等指标定量分析了关中、中原、山东半岛三城市群的产业结构、专门化和多样化,并考察了它们与城市群发展之间的关系。通过指标计算与回归分析发现,目前三城市群总体上,相对全国而言的偏高的产业专门化和偏低的多样化,不利于城市群的发育;沿海和内地城市群的产业在发展动力方面存在着差异,沿海对产业多样化较敏感,而内陆则不显著;产业专门化不利于城市群发展,而多样化对城市群发展有一定的正向作用,但短期内作用并不明显。     

宋代湖田窑青白釉瓷的装饰工艺

湖田窑是景德镇诸青白釉窑中历史最久,范围最广,工艺最精的窑场,其产品多样,造型精美,纹饰丰富美观,冠绝群窑,装饰技法独特,本通过对装饰工艺的研究,进而考察青白釉瓷的窑业技术。     

Make,mend and befriend: geographies of austerity,crafting and friendship in contemporary cultures of dressmaking in the UK

Dressmaking is a practice infused with historical significance which in the contemporary context of austerity has renewed social, cultural, economic, political and moral importance. Drawing on writing from across the social sciences we advance a geographical understanding of dressmaking by focusing on the themes of feminism and crafting practices, austerity, fashion and consumption, and friendship and encounters in order to theorise the everyday spatialities of contemporary crafting cultures. In doing so we argue that the recent return to dressmaking cannot be understood as an extension or repetition of historic practices but that contemporary dressmakers are claiming a history and geography of their own. To conclude, we argue that dressmaking and other related fabricultures have much to offer our understanding of austerity, feminism and friendship and thus merit further theoretical and empirical investigation.