ABSTRACT
This chapter explores entrepreneurial activity involving innovation across nations, regions and sectors and argues for the importance of nuance in studies that underpin policy development. It discusses entrepreneurial and innovative activity firstly from a global perspective and then from a regional perspective. National data from the 2008 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) in conjunction with reviews of empirical research papers from regional studies in Europe and Latin America provides the platform for exploration and discussion. This introduces the concept of nuance and the relationship with regional and local innovation systems. The chapter explores nuance in different forms illustrating the possibilities of disconnectivity as well as connectivity with innovation systems. It describes the concept of nuance for connectivity with regional innovation systems and the impact on policy development. It also presents the idea that understanding nuance in national, regional entrepreneurial activity is an important dimension to summations of innovative performance.
