ABSTRACT
Introduction There are many ideas about innovation and the ways to promote such attractive socio-economic developments. There is also a clear tendency for innovation to take on regional patterns and to be addressed towards the most technologically and industrially advanced locations. Nevertheless, discussions about best practice (such as the discussions some years ago about introducing Japanese methods of management and manufacturing) have shown the problems of transferring such concepts from one area in the world to another. Statistically, regions differ; and processes of change are complex, requiring advice and expertise if they are to be effective (Doner and Hershberg 1999).
