ABSTRACT
This paper seeks to juxtapose the roles of three key institutions – the state, markets, networks as factors in elaborating and enhancing knowledge value chains under knowledge economy conditions. The emphasis is upon the first two, but mention is made as necessary, to the important role of the state as financier of crucial processes regarding exploration knowledge through investments in research budgets and universities in particular. This is the subject of Section 2 following the Introduction. Section 3 then turns to the study of markets in structuring knowledge value chains in the bioeconomy, pointing to their asymmetric efficiencies and inefficiencies, which also have spatial dimensions. Finally attention is devoted to the enhanced role of networks and new network forms of thinking in relation to securing competitiveness in the bioeconomy knowledge value chain in the knowledge economy regime. A new regional mosaic of knowledge hubs with global reach has emerged but few occupy hitherto predominant ‘global cities’.
