The Use of Future-Oriented Knowledge in Regional Innovation Processes: Research on Knowledge Generation, Transfer & Conversion

This article focuses on future-oriented knowledge within regional innovation networks. Concrete regional tools and institutional settings aiming to enhance knowledge creation and management in such networks are needed. To enable planning for the future, there is a need for regional visionary capability. Resource-based futures research may make an important contribution in reducing the insecurity that regions face in the turbulent environment. When foresight processes are not absorbed into the regional strategy making processes, ‘black holes of regional strategy making’ come into existence, and future scenarios are built without taking into consideration the path-dependency of a region. This article attempts to reduce the gap between futures research, on the one hand, and regional knowledge and innovation management, on the other hand. It highlights the concept of selftranscending knowledge—the ability to sense the presence of potential. It then introduces a new, systemic model for knowledge creation and management in regional innovation networks. Utilising methods from futures research in creating self-transcending knowledge in a regional knowledge management system is proposed as a fruitful way of enhancing regional visionary capability. The article thus advocates combining approaches and methodologies from futures research with those of knowledge management in a novel way. q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 0016-3287/$ see front matter q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.futures.2005.01.001 Futures 37 (2005) 849–866 www.elsevier.com/locate/futures * Chapters 1, 3 and 4 of the paper are partly based on a paper presented at an International Conference of Regional Studies Association (UK), 12–15 April 2003, at Pisa, Italy. * Corresponding author. Tel.: C358 3 525 000; fax: C358 3 525 0204. E-mail addresses: tuomo.uotila@hut.fi (T. Uotila), helina.melkas@hut.fi (H. Melkas), vesa.harmaakorpi@ lut.fi (V. Harmaakorpi). URL: http://ltk.hut.fi. 1 Present address: Lappeenranta University of Technology, Lahti Unit, Saimaankatu 11, FI-15140 Lahti. Finland.

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