Innovations are regarded as fundamental for achieving economic, social and ecological sustainability. Nordregio's Lukas Smas and Maria Lindqvist are the authors of a booklet about innovations for Reglab Sweden, which is an introduction guide to the concept, practices and politics of innovations with focus on its relevance for regional development.
Innovations are expected to generate new firms and employment opportunities, increased competitiveness, and contribute growth, in Sweden and elsewhere. They are also perceived as crucial for handling climate change, resource scarcity and demographical challenges such as an ageing population and increased migration in Europe. But what is an innovation? How and where are innovations created? And how can regional innovation polices be formulated and implemented in a globalizing world? These are some of the key questions of this booklet, which also highlights concepts such as eco-innovation, social innovations, and smart specialisation.
Read and download Regional innovations: an introduction to concepts, practices and politics