Opportunities and policy challenges of digital economy to small regions: the case of Gipuzkoa

Oportunidades y retos políticos de la economía digital para las regiones pequeñas: el caso de Gipuzkoa

  • Andoni Eizagirre Mondragon University

Abstract

Nations and territories have new and varied challenges with respect to promoting continuous growth in the economy. The purpose of this article is to determine the opportunities and difficulties faced by the territory of Gipuzkoa in the field of economics. In interviews and discussion groups with the principle agents of the territory, the unified commitment to industry over the last decades is unanimously appreciated. This commitment involves the complete transformation of the social and economic structure of the territory. However, disparities in business dynamism are evident, and the capacities and resources of companies to bring industry up to date in the digital economy and respond to new competitive factors are very different. This being the case, different perspectives are emerging to respond to challenges among agents. Nevertheless, two general issues are agreed upon: the territory is conceptualized as an active agent, and the need for updating the innovation system is recognized. This makes it possible to share strategies and to respond in a cooperative way to productive specialization.

Key words: digital economy, industry, territorial strategy, Gipuzkoa, discourse analysis.    

 

Resumen

Las  naciones  y  los  territorios  tienen  nuevos  y  variados  desafíos  con  respecto  a la promoción del crecimiento continuo en la economía. El propósito de este artículo es determinar las oportunidades y dificultades que enfrenta el territorio de Gipuzkoa en el campo de la economía. En entrevistas y grupos de discusión con los principales agentes del territorio, se aprecia unánimemente el  compromiso  unificado  con  la  industria  en  las  últimas  décadas.  Este  compromiso  implica  la transformación  completa  de  la  estructura  social  y  económica  del  territorio.  Sin  embargo, las disparidades  en  el  dinamismo  empresarial  son  evidentes,  y  las  capacidades  y  recursos  de  las empresas  para  actualizar  la  industria  en  la  economía  digital  y  responder  a  los  nuevos  factores competitivos  son  muy  diferentes.  Siendo  este  el  caso,  están  surgiendo  diferentes  perspectivas  para responder  a  los  desafíos  entre  los  agentes.  Sin  embargo,  se  acuerdan  dos  cuestiones  generales: el territorio se conceptualiza como un agente activo y se reconoce la necesidad de actualizar el sistema de   innovación.   Esto   permite   compartir   estrategias   y   responder   de   manera   cooperativa   a   la especialización productiva.

Palabras clave: economía digital, industria, estrategia territorial, Gipuzkoa, análisis del discurso.

 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31637/epsir.18-1.6

References

Acemoglu, D. and Restrepo, P. (2018). Artificial Intelligence, Automation and Work. No w24196, National Bureau

of Economic Research.

Baldwin, R. (2016). The Great Convergence: Information Technology and the New Globalization. Harvard: Harvard

University Press.

Castells, M. (ed.) (2018). Europe’s Crisis. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Mazzucato, M. (2016). From market fixing to market-creating: a new framework for innovation policy. Industry &

Innovation, 23(2): 140-156. doi.org/10.1080/13662716.2016.1146124

Mazzucato, M. (2018). The Value of Everything: Making and Taking in the Global Economy. London: Allen Lane –

Penguin.

Morgan, K. (2016). Collective entrepreneurship: the Basque model of innovation. European Planning Studies, 24(8):

-1560. doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2016.1151483

Pérez, C. (2002). Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages.

Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

Ridao-Cano, R. and Bodewig, C. (2018). Growing United: Upgrading Europe’s Convergence Machine. World Bank

Report on the European Union. Washington: International Bank for Reconstrucion and Development / The

World Bank.

Rodrik, D. (2011). The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy. New York: W.W.

Norton.

Rodrik, D. (2018). Straight Talk on Trade: Ideas for a Sane World Economy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University

Press.

Stiglitz, J.E. and Greenwald, B.C. (2014). Creating a Learning Society: A New Approach to Growth. Columbia:

Columbia University Press.

Uyarra, E., K. Flanagan, E. Magro, J. Wilson and M. Sotorauta (2017): Understanding regional innovation policy

dynamics: Actors, agency and learning. Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 35(4): 559-568.

Published
2018-11-02
How to Cite
Eizagirre, A. (2018). Opportunities and policy challenges of digital economy to small regions: the case of Gipuzkoa. European Public & Social Innovation Review, 3(1), 68-81. Retrieved from https://pub.sinnergiak.org/esir/article/view/85
Section
Research articles