CIRCLE seminar with Lina Ahlin and Olof Ejermo on “Mobility of Inventors: Spillovers or Internal Labor Markets?”

Lina Ahlin and Olof Ejermo, researchers at CIRCLE, will give a seminar on “Mobility of Inventors: Spillovers or Internal Labor Markets?”

Place: CIRCLE seminar room (M213), Sölvegatan 16, Lund
Time: Friday, 21st September, 10.15-11.15

Discussant: Torben Schubert, CIRCLE

Lina Ahlin and Olof Ejermo

Abstract: In this paper we empirically investigate different types of cross-organizational mobility patterns and factors that influence the rate of mobility of inventors. In contrast to the implicitly assumed pattern in the literature, we find that mobility of inventors occurs as frequently within organizations as between them. We subsequently argue that their mobility is affected by different types of matching on the labor market that influence the rate and ease of mobility across different types of organizations. The two main factors explored in this paper are information asymmetries and their subsequent solution through signaling factors and the notion of internal labor markets. We find that inter-organizational change on the top-level (business groups) is more associated with signaling factors such as age and education to a larger extent than when mobility occurs within organizations. We furthermore find strong support for that large firms and multinationals provide internal labor markets that limit the outreach of inventors to other organizations. This may limit the scope to what types of knowledge spillovers may occur in the Swedish economy.

Pufendorf Seminar: The European Spallation Source and MaxIV in Lund: Promises and realities of large scale science facilities

The seminar is organized by the interdisciplinary theme ‘Legitimizing ESS’ at Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies. The purpose of this theme is to study the European Spallation Source (ESS) to be inaugurated in Lund 2019. Perspectives from economics, the social sciences and the humanities are applied to analyze ESS as a contemporary Big-Science facility focusing on processes of legitimation, the building and management of reliable collaborations, common understandings of scientific problems, data and (future) results. Read more about the theme ‘Legitimizing ESS’ at Pufendorf Institute.

Time: October 16th, 2012, kl. 17.30-19.45
Place: Main Lecture Hall, Pufendorf Institute

Introduction
Vice chancellor Per Eriksson 

ESS/MAX-IV in a regional context
Lars Börjesson, professor in Condensed Matter Physics, Chalmers, Gothenburg and chairperson of MaxIV

Glocal facets of big science
Sharon Traweek, professor in History and Women’s Studies, UCLA

Challenging tempor(e)alities of large-scale research facilities
Ulrike Felt, professor in Social Studies of Science, Vienna University

Panel discussion
Thomas Kaiserfeld, professor History of ideas, Lund University, Tom O’Dell, professor Ethnology, Lund University, Josephine Rekers, researcher CIRCLE, Lund University, BG Svensson, CEO Lundamark AB

Moderator: Kerstin Sandell, associate professor Gender Studies, Lund University

Download Programme (PDF)

Recent papers in the CIRCLE Electronic Working Papers Series

Five most recent papers in the CIRCLE Electronic Working Paper series:

• Sabrina Fredin: The Dynamics and Evolution of Local Industries – The case of Linköping. Download WP 2012/07
• Cristina Chaminade and Claudia de Fuentes: Competences as drivers and enablers of globalization of innovation: Swedish ICT industry and emerging economies. Download WP 2012/06
• Olof Ejermo and Taehyun Jung: Demographic patterns and trends in patenting: Gender, age, and education of inventors. Download WP 2012/05
• Martin Andersson and Steven Klepper: Characteristics and Performance of New Firms and Spinoffs in Sweden. Download WP 2012/04
• Roman Martin: Measuring the knowledge base of regional innovation systems in Sweden. Download WP 2012/03

Access all papers through the database of RePEc (Research Papers in Economics), or download directly from the CIRCLE website:

CIRCLE Seminar with Susana Borrás on “The Governance of Change in Socio-Technical and Innovation Systems: Some Pillars for Theory-Building“

Prof. Susana Borrás

Susana Borrás, Head of the Department of Business and Politics at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) and professor at CIRCLE, will give a seminar on “The Governance of Change in Socio-Technical and Innovation Systems: Some Pillars for Theory-Building“.

Date: Monday September 17th 1415-1500
Place: CIRCLE seminar room, Sölvegatan 16, Lund.

Discussant: Elena Zukauskaite, CIRCLE

Abstract: More than twenty years of studies on ‘socio-technical systems’ and ‘innovation systems’ have yielded multiple approaches on the way in which science and technology shape and are shaped by social, political and economic organization. This literature exhibits high diversity in crucial aspects about the role of agents and institutions in those systems, as well as about the dynamics that drive change. Unfortunately most of these studies have not talked to each other because they belong to different disciplines. Worse, the ‘governance’ of the system continues to be an empirically and normatively indeterminate notion in most of this literature. This paper aims at redressing these gaps by defining a workable concept of governance of change in socio-technical and innovation systems (ST&I systems). Putting upfront the questions about governance (the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of purposeful coordination towards change) will allow to (re-)interpret empirical material more coherently, comparing variation in governance of change. After a critical literature review that reveals differences and commonalities in this multi-disciplinary literature, this paper develops four pillars for a future theory-building on the governance of change in ST&I systems which shall allow tackling the notion of governance more systematically. These pillars focus on the opportunity structures & capable agents, governance instrumentation, democratic legitimacy, and learning & reflexivity within the system.

PhD thesis defence by Roman Martin on “Knowledge Bases and the Geography of Innovation”

Roman Martin, PhD candidate at CIRCLE and the Department of Human Geography, Lund University, will defend his dissertation with the title “Knowledge Bases and the Geography of Innovation”.

Opponent: Professor Ron Boschma (Utrecht University)

Date/time:  Tuesday, October 2^nd, 2012. Start from 13:15
Place:  Department of Human Geography, Sölvegatan 10, room 128 (Flygeln),

Abstract: Despite the ongoing globalisation of economic activities, innovation does not take place randomly distributed over space, but concentrates in certain locations. A central argument to explain the spatial concentration of innovation activities lies in the ability of geographical proximity to facilitate interactive learning and knowledge exchange, which in turn is seen as an important driver for regional growth and prosperity. Intensive knowledge sharing within the regional milieu is considered pivotal to continuous innovation, while at the same time, distant sources of knowledge are important for accessing new ideas and thoughts. When, why and in what respect local or non-local knowledge sourcing and exchange matters for innovation is a key question addressed in this dissertation. The thesis applies a regional innovation systems perspective where innovation is seen as the result of interactive learning processes involving various actors from industry, academia and governments, which collectively contribute to regional innovation and growth. Moreover, the thesis takes a broad-based view on innovation where innovation is seen as critical for all sectors of the economy, and not only for science and (high-) technology orientated activities. A distinction between industries is made with respect to the type of knowledge base that underlies innovation activities (i.e. analytical, synthetic and symbolic). When, why and in what respect the geography of innovation varies subject to industry specific difference in the knowledge base is a further key question addressed in this dissertation.

For a copy of the book (free of charge), please send an email to roman.martin@circle.lu.se

The dissertation can also be downloaded from:  http://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/o.o.i.s?id=24732&postid=3049932