The global connectivity of regional innovation systems in Italy: a core–periphery perspective

The study evaluates the role of global connectivity in a country's regional innovation systems, using Italy as the study context. Two forms of innovation connectivity are analysed: domestic Italian entities connecting to external knowledge sources (‘reaching-out’ processes) and foreign entities connecting to knowledge resources within Italian regional innovation systems (‘reaching-in’ processes). It is found that Italian regional innovation systems’ rising connectivity to global knowledge resources is being driven almost entirely by ‘reaching-in’ processes managed by foreign entities. The driver role of foreign entities in an advanced country's regional innovation system connectivity to the global environment is a key new finding.