ABSTRACT
Not only old industrial regions, but also some which prospered during the 1970s and 1980s now have to contend with serious economic problems. This development has aroused scientific as well as political interest in processes and strategies of economic transformation. It has become obvious that modernizing existing industries is not sufficient to set many regions onto a new path of economic growth. A successful transformation strategy for regional economies must also include the development of technological innovations as the basis for establishing new industries or industrial clusters.
