ABSTRACT

The relevance of technological capability for growth is nowadays well established both at analytical and empirical level, for nations as well as for regions. Moreover, the relevance of differences in regional technology capabilities in explaining regional inequality in Europe has been shown by different studies (Fagerberg and Verspagen, 1996; Vence and Metcalfe, 1996). In the context of globalization and the downgrading of other policy instruments, technology policy is now recognized to have an increasingly important role among public policies oriented to growth and wealth creation. Thus, the regional impact of technology policy is a major issue when dealing with real convergence and cohesion at European level.