Assessing and building innovation and learning capacity in local organizations

Conceptual models of regional innovation systems have prompted major government

initiatives in Europe and North America to assess and to promote local innovation and

learning capabilities. In Australia, by contrast, local governments and other local

organizations concerned with economic and social development are faltering. Lacking

is (1) a conceptual understanding of local knowledge and innovation networks; (2)

data on local innovation actors and activities; and (3) clarity on the most effective

ways for municipal and regional government to 'construct advantage' in a federal

system. The paper reviews the 'macro' (e.g. innovation surveys) and 'micro' (e.g.

case studies) approach to assessing the capability of regional innovation systems. The

paper then reports work in progress to develop a more 'meso' approach, first to

further develop a classification of the local 'assets' and 'actors' involved in

constructing local advantage. Second, we outline a proposal to apply this

classification for mapping and measuring the 'supply chain' for constructing

advantage in a particular region - Wollongong, New South Wales.