Regional/Local Development in the European Union in the outcome of the XXI century". New intervention guidelines on innovation and employment processes: innovation and employment territorial strategies

Abstract

As innovation and the speed of technical change have generated a new framework characterised by the importance of the territory as a generating source of specific resources (abilities, know-how, qualifications), the author holds them to be the most suitable level at which to stimulate processes of co-operation and learning. We are told that in this context a wide range of concepts have emerged, such as " industrial districts ", "clusters ", networks, competitive poles, that stress the same idea of the importance of establishing inter and intra-sectorial business networks or link-ups that, territorially embedded, would stimulate competitiveness. In this paper, important connections have been identified as between innovation processes and changes in employment generation processes, as well as to the opportunities resultant upon interrelated territorial strategies design. The principal conclusion the author propounds is a need for the drawing up of a Territorial Employment and Innovation Strategy that could forge links between innovation and employment, thus leading to the creation of employment from the opportunities offered by innovative environments.