Territorial innovation in less developed regions: governance, technologies, and sustainability

Abstract

This volume stems from the work developed within the framework of a research project focused on understanding the innovation poli-cies in less developed regions in Europe.1 Despite the specific focus on the Portuguese case of lagging regions, it aims at providing concep-tual improvements useful to other geographies, as it fosters the debate through the contribution from leading experts in the different topics addressed. From this debate and clash between well-established conceptual frame-works and the experience resulting from several of the case studies, we expect to provide new insights on how to assess the diverse approaches to the processes of territorial innovation in European less developed regions, as well as to the role of communities in such processes. The editors would like to acknowledge and thank all the authors for their contributions for this book. A word of appreciation to the different research centres at the University of Aveiro that provided the support for the research, and to the community of researchers and colleagues involved in the project over the last years. A book is always a collective endeavour, and this volume is ultimately the result of many contributions given to the initial drafts of the chapters that were presented in multiple formats in different settings. We would like to acknowledge the important role of the main funding partner, the Centro Region managing authority in Portugal, not only for the financial support, but also for its involvement as an active player in discussing results and opportunities stemming from this initiative.