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The role of knowledge and innovation is undergoing a transformation. Rather than only fostering economic growth, new approaches to innovation policy underline its role in tackling grand societal challenges. However, existing concepts for researching regional innovation such as the regional-innovation systems (RIS) approach have not sufficiently addressed this shift towards sustainability. Applying the challenge-oriented regional innovation system (CoRIS) approach, this case study examines the opportunities and challenges of innovation systems to foster sustainable transformation at the regional level. Using the construction sector as the largest waste-producing sector in the economy, the case study looks at an innovation network in the North Hesse region. It highlights how the connection between private and public actors contributes to technical, procedural, and institutional innovation. At the same time, the case study shows limitations of regional innovation through limited policy coherence across scales.
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Challenge-oriented Development in a Regional Innovation Network: A Case Study from the State of Hesse in Germany
How to cite this paper: Stefan Campos Mühlenhoff, Christian Herzig. (2024). Challenge-oriented Development in a Regional Innovation Network: A Case Study from the State of Hesse in Germany. Advance in Sustainability, 4(1), 1-11.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/as.2024.03.001