Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Papers in Innovation Studies,
Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research

No 2024/5: Untangling regional opportunity spaces: The role of narratives and place leadership

Max Roessler (), Markus Grillitsch (), Johan Miörner () and Daniel Schiller ()
Additional contact information
Max Roessler: University of Greifswald, Postal: Germany
Markus Grillitsch: CIRCLE, Lund University, Postal: CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research, Lund University, PO Box 117, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden
Johan Miörner: CIRCLE, Lund University, Postal: CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research, Lund University, PO Box 117, SE-22100 Lund, Sweden
Daniel Schiller: University of Greifswald, Postal: Germany

Abstract: This paper aims to identify micro-level processes shaping the narratives about regional opportunity spaces. A process perspective is applied to investigate how place leaders engage in shaping narratives to influence the perception of regional opportunity spaces. The empirical research is based on a comparative case study of four peripheral regions in Germany including ninety-two interviews with regional stakeholders complemented by two cross-regional focus groups. Our findings emphasize the central role of place leadership in influencing the perception of regional opportunity spaces, show two pathways of changing dominant narratives (outside-in and inside-out) and provide a multiple-phase framework for their analysis.

Keywords: opportunity spaces; narratives; place leadership; agency; peripheral regions

JEL-codes: O33; P52; R11; R58

Language: English

25 pages, March 21, 2024

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