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Measuring regional knowledge resources: What do occupations have to offer?
Samantha Sharpe
Urban Research Centre
University of Western Sydney
Sydney NSW, Australia
Cristina Martinez-Fernandez
Urban Research Centre
University of Western Sydney
Sydney NSW, Australia
Abstract
In this paper we will examine one of the most locally specific resources within regions: their workforce. We will consider how the specific types and quantities of knowledge workers evident in a region could be measured, and suggest that these workers form an integral but underestimated component of a region's innovative capability. To illustrate this hypothesis we use an established breakdown of occupations by aspects of knowledge and function, by sub-regions for the metropolitan region of Sydney.
This paper aims to highlight two key points. Firstly the recognition that examining knowledge workers, especially in a broader sense than is currently utilised in the innovation literature (R&D scientific employment) is a useful way for examining and interpreting the knowledge dynamics of a region, and secondly, the importance of aggregation and scale when examining regional innovation systems. Adequate consideration for the distribution of these dynamics is essential for policymakers engaged in activities to encourage innovative activity as well as promoting equitable access to knowledge resources particularly in urban, metropolitan regions.
Keywords
knowledge base, regional innovation systems, occupations, professionals, institutions, regional economic development
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