R&D cooperation in innovation systems - Some lessons from the European Regional Innovation Survey (ERIS)

Our paper summarizes some of the main results of the European Regional Inno vation Survey (ERIS) as far as they are discussed in this special issue of European Planning Studies. The overall target of the ERIS project is a quan titative and qualitative assessment of determinants crucial for the innovat ion potential of any region, i.e. innovative and non-innovative manufacturi ng firms, business services and research institutions, as well as the innov ative linkages and networks between these actors. Empirical research is bas ed upon almost 8600 questionnaires collected in II European regions. Result s confirm some of the common hypotheses on the relationship between space a nd innovation networks but others are contrary to existing scientific knowl edge. Obviously the impact of national innovation systems an the innovation activities of manufacturing firms in a given European region is-at least-a s strong as the impact of the respective regional innovation system. The sp atial range of innovative linkages significantly depends an the size, the t ype of the cooperation partner, the R&D intensity and the industry of the a nalysed manufacturing firm. For example, the higher the technology intensit y of the industry, the greater is the need of each firm to use intraregiona l knowledge via innovation linkages. It is therefore an important task in r egional innovation Policy to promote network-building among firms and other actors of a regional innovation system and to interlink these intraregiona l networks with national and international knowledge sources.