Science and technology parks and the integration of environmental policy
Katarina Larsen
KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
PP: 294 - 305
Abstract
This paper addresses processes of integration of environmental policy in science and technology parks (S&T parks). Drivers for environmental policy integration in two S&T park districts are explored in the framework of environmental policy opportunities, ie what opportunities of environmental policy integration that arise given characteristic features of the parks, such as spatial proximity, stakeholder interaction, and the park's role in regional innovation policy.
The study focuses on ICT-companies and the environmental policy opportunities arising from vertical and horizontal interaction in the park context. Rather than assuming interaction by virtue of geographic proximity, the study shows that knowledge exchange on environmental aspects to some extent is localised within the park by exchange of best practices among individual firms as well by guidelines implemented at a park level. However, drivers promoting environmental management in ICT-companies are identified both at the firm level as well as in environmental regulation and customer demands.
Keywords
science and technology parks, environmental policy integration, horizontal and vertical interaction, ICT-companies, proximity, stakeholders, regulation, customer demand
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