Economic Geographies of the Future

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At the Chair of Economic Geographies of the Future, we study the networks, institutions and governance of technical and social innovation processes for inclusive and sustainable regional futures. Our basic research rests on three analytical pillars:

• Networks denote a set of connections between a set of people or organizations. We interpret the structure of these connections as a contextual constraint on the opportunities for individual and collective action. We examine mechanisms in the formation of economic networks in innovation processes, in the governance of natural resources, and in social change. Having developed our own methodology of Situational Organizational Network Analysis (SONA), we support business firms and organizations in pursuit of their cooperate goals. Examples of our network research can be found here.
• Institutions are patterns of social interaction that are based on legitimate normative expectations and that are sanctioned when violated. We study their emergence and change, the institutional characteristics of regional economies and their influence on the diffusion or hindrance of innovations.
• Governance refers to the collective process of coordinating vested interests of actors who are linked by a common problem in order to achieve consensual goals. We analyze the networks and institutional processes of new forms of governance and develop concepts and measures to promote the legitimacy of collective governance.

Insights into our research