Faculty of Social and Life Sciences Department of Historical and Political Studies
Line Säll
Cooperation for Regional Growth and Development in the Värmland Region 1998-2008
-With a Triple Helix Approach
D-essay Political Science
Date/Term: Spring Semester 2008 Supervisor: Susan Marton Examiner: Curt Räftegård
Karlstads universitet 651 88 Karlstad Tfn 054-700 10 00 Fax 054-700 14 60 [email protected] www.kau.se ABSTRACT Thesis in political science, D-level, by Line Säll, Spring Semester 2008. Tutor: Susan Marton. ”Cooperation for Regional Growth and Development in the Värmland Region 1998- 2008 – With a Triple Helix Approach”
In spite of Sweden´s lack of formal regions, the country is evolving towards regional administrations. The regional level are to a growing extent viewed as important bases for economic growth and development. The concept of the triple helix implies that interactions between the public sector, the industry and universities is a source to economic and social development. Research has though implied that the interaction between the triple helix actors could be problematic from a multi-level governance perspective. It has been shown that since the institutional setting is horizontal and vertical fragmented, cooperation between different institutions and actors becomes difficult. In year 2005-2006 the Värmland region was one of fourteen regions in twelve countries that was included in a OECD project, that was a response to the multiplicity of initiatives across the OECD countries concerning regional development. In the report that evolved from the project actors in Värmland was recommended to improve the cooperation concerning regional development in the county. This thesis investigates the cooperation between the triple helix actors for regional growth and development in the Värmland region 1998-2008. My reserach questions are: Is there evidence of a lack of cooperation between the university, the public sector and the industrial actors in Värmland? And if this is the case, could these problems be related to the fragmentation of the institutional setting? The thesis is an qualitative case study, conducted through elite-interviews and document analysis. My findings implies that the cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland has developed dramatically the last decade. From a strive for coordination that was pervaded by institutional fragmentation to an increased closeness and mutual involvement that has come to over-bride the institutional fragmentation on the regional level. Although, it seems like the vertical fragmentation between the regional and national level, which could impede growth and development in the region, to a great degree remains.
Keywords: Triple helix, Multi-level governance, Cooperation, Innovations, Region Värmland, Regional growth and development, Regional growth agreements, Regional growth programmes, Regional development programmes,
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THANKS! To all the persons that made my work possible! Thanks to the interviewees that that took time to speak to me. Thanks to my tutor Susan Marton for your wise advices and contributions. And, thanks to my family and friends for your support.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES...... 5 ABBREVIATIONS ...... 5 1. INTRODUCTION...... 6 1.1 CHOICE OF SUBJECT AND RESEARCH ISSUE...... 6 1.2 PURPOSE AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS ...... 9 1.2.1 Research Questions...... 10 1.3 PREVIOUS RESEARCH ...... 10 1.4 BACKGROUND ...... 13 1.4.1 Sweden and its Regional Politics...... 13 1.4.2 Region Värmland...... 15 1.5 DISPOSITION...... 18 2. THEORETICAL CONNECTIONS ...... 20 2.1 REGIONAL GROWTH...... 20 2.2 THE CONCEPT OF THE TRIPLE HELIX...... 21 2.2.1 A Matrix for Analysis of Regional Development Processes ...... 24 2.3 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TRIPLE HELIX – MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE...... 26 2.3.1 Different Forms of Cooperation ...... 27 3. METHOD ...... 29 3.1 SPECIFICATION OF PROBLEM AND DELIMITATIONS ...... 29 3.1.1 Specific Research Questions...... 29 3.2 METHOD FOR COLLECTION OF DATA ...... 30 3.2.1 Collection of Data ...... 30 3.2.1.1 The Interviewed...... 33 3.3 METHOD FOR ANALYSIS...... 35 3.4 VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY ...... 35 4. EMPIRICAL FINDINGS...... 38 4.1 THE REGIONAL GROWTH AGREEMENTS...... 39 4.1.1 The Intent of the Government with the Regional Growth Agreements ...... 39 4.1.2 The Regional Growth Agreement in Värmland ...... 41 4.2 THE REGIONAL GROWTH PROGRAMMES AND THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES ...... 45 4.2.1 The Intent of the Government with the Regional Growth Programmes...... 45 4.2.2 The Intent of the Government with the Regional Development Programmes...... 48 4.2.3 The Regional Growth Programme and the Regional Development Programme in Värmland...... 51 4.3 TRIPLE HELIX IN THE VÄRMLAND REGION – PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES ...... 57 5. ANALYSIS ...... 62 5.1 THE REGIONAL GROWTH AGREEMENT ...... 62 5.2 THE REGIONAL GROWTH PROGRAMME AND THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ...... 64 5.3 TRIPLE HELIX IN THE VÄRMLAND REGION –PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES...... 68 5.4 COOPERATION AND THE FRAGMENTATION OF THE INSTITUTIONAL SETTING ...... 69 6. CONCLUSION AND CONCLUDING DISCUSSION ...... 71 6.1 CONCLUSION...... 71 6.2 CONCLUDING DISCUSSION ...... 71 REFERENCES APPENDIX
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LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Figure 2.1 A Model of Regional Growth p. 20 Table 2.1 Knowledge based development in three phases p. 24 Table 2.2 Taxonomy of Different Types of Relationships p. 27
ABBREVIATIONS
CAB County administrative board EU The European Union FoU Research and development IMHE Institutional Management in Higher Education ISA Invest in Sweden Agency ITPS Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies NUTEK Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development RIS Regional innovation system RTA Regional growth agreement RTP Regional growth programme RUP Regional development programme RV Region Värmland SMEs Small and medium enterprises SWOT Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats TAIDA Tracking, analysing, imaging, deciding and acting VINOVA Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems VRAG Värmlandsrådets arbetsgrupp
5 1. INTRODUCTION
In this introducing chapter I will present my choice of subject and research issue, purpose and research questions. I also put the thesis in a bigger context by describing previous research within the field. A brief background is also presented. Finally I present the disposition of the essay.
1.1 Choice of Subject and Research Issue
The western democracies have the past decades been signified by a substantial change in the political and economical landscape. The liberalization and globalization of the economy has created new challenges for the nation states. Sub-national actors like regions are to a growing extent taking place in the international arenas and increasingly amounts of power have been transmitted to super-national institutions like the European Union.1 New forms of economic and political doctrines are introduced. In the late 1950s it had become clear to both economists and policy makers that the economic growth rates of western economies could no longer be explained by traditional economic factors like land, labour and capital2. New factors were introduced in the model: knowledge and interaction effects. To facilitate the organisation and coordination of science and technology policies among its member states the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was created.3
During the 1990s the concerns about competitiveness at national as well as European levels raised the question about how to increase innovations. Both policy makers and scholars have been focusing upon universities as elements of regional innovation systems (RIS).4 Cooke and Leydersdorff argue that regions can use knowledge to “construct advantage”. Knowledge is here seen as a dynamic source to economic growth and competitiveness, contrary to the statical model of the Ricardian comparative advantage5. Constructed advantage is according to Cooke and Laydersdorff:
1 Pierre, J., “Democratic Government and the Challenge of Governance”, Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift, årg. 109, nr 2, 2007, pp. 150-155 2 Cooke, P., Leydesdorff, L., “Regional Development in the Knowledge-Based Economy: The Construction of Advantage”, Journal of Technology Transfer, 31: 5-15, 2006, p. 7 3 ibid. 4 Kitagawa, F., “Universities and Regional Advantage: Higher Education and Innovation Policies in English Regions”., European Planning Studies, Vol. 12, No. 6, September 2004, pp. 835-852, p. 835 5 According to the model of Ricardian comparative advantage a country’s competitiveness origins from the initial resource endowments (land, labour and capital) of the country.
6 …both a means of understanding the noted metamorphosis in economic growth activity and a strategic policy perspective of practical use to business firms, associations, academics, and policy makers. In the Triple Helix model constructed advantages have been conceptualized as the surplus value of an overlay of relations among the three components of a knowledge-based economy: (1) the knowledge-producing sector (science), (2) the market, and (3) governments…6
The concept of the Triple Helix is a new model for innovation and economic growth. As stated in the quote it captures the surplus value generated by the interaction of business, universities and the public sector. The model is based on knowledge development and environments friendly to innovations.7
Regions are seen as important bases for economic coordination and development.8 Through the EU membership and the structure funds the regions has come to play a prominent role.9 These developments may be the background to the Swedish “Ansvarskommittén” and “Grundlagsutredningen” which have been investigating the structure of Sweden. This includes a possible division in to regions, questions about divisions of responsibility and the political organisation in Sweden.10 The Swedish rhetoric of regional politics has changed, from the view of regions as allocates of resources to regions seen as engines of economic growth. Well functioning regions are now seen as an important component in the economic growth and the international competitiveness.11
In spite of Sweden’s lack of formal regions, the country is evolving toward regional administrations.12 One example of this is Region Värmland (RV), which is an organisation managing economic growth, regional development, culture and mass-education. Responsible authority over the organisation is the County Council known as “Landstinget” and the 16 municipalities in the area.13 The purpose is, among others, to meet the needs of coordination in the economic development and to strengthen the competitiveness of the region, nationally
6 Cooke, P., Leydesdorff, L., a.a. p. 10 7 Etzkowitz, H., Trippelhelix –den nya innovationsmodellen, SNS Förlag, 2005, p. 13 8 Asheim, T, B., Coenen, L., “Contextualising Regional Innovation Systems in a Globalising Learning Economy: On Knowledge Bases and Institutional Frameworks”, Journal of Technology Transfer, 31: 163-173, 2006, p. 167 9 Tallberg, J., EU:s politiska system, Studentlitteratur, Lund, 2001. p. 176 10 Erikson, M., et.al., “Lokalt politiskt ledarskap I en konstitutionell brytningstid”, Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift, årg. 109, nr 2, 2007, pp. 138-141, p. 138 11 Dahlgren, B., “Det är inte lätt att fatta galoppen med RTP”. p. 4 f and Christensen, L., Kempinsky, P. (red)., Att mobilisera för regional tillväxt, Studentlitteratur, 2004, p. 15 12 Cooke, P., Leydesdorff, L., , a.a. p. 6 13 Region Värmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/, 2008-03-07
7 and within the EU.14 In a recent debate article15 representatives for the university of Karlstad, RV and the business world argue that cooperation and coordination between the university and its surroundings will benefit from the spread of knowledge and science and stimulate economic growth, innovations and the international competitiveness.16 Hence Region Värmland is a good example of the aim for Triple Helix in practice. According to an OECD report from 2006, the Värmland region has some problems concerning the future regional development. After their visit in Värmland the OECD review team recommended the political and business actors in the Värmland region to:
…redouble their efforts to create a process through which they can discuss the questions regarding the economic and political future of the region, and make the decisions necessary to secure the region’s future development…17
The issues the team raise are primary co-operation problems, lack of risk capital in the region, a complex political organisation and the importance of communication with the national political arena.18 In chapter 1.4.2 Region Värmland, the project and the recommendations are described somewhat more in depth.
Jakob Edler et. al. means that both policy-makers and scholars have noticed a change in the nature of innovations. They argue that the formation of the political institutions stands in discrepancy to these changes:
…More and more, innovation is perceived as a systematic horizontal phenomenon caused by, and influencing, a broad spectrum of factors, while the related political institutions are quite narrow and vertical in their thematic focus, working in departmentalised and fragmented manner. These discrepancies, nevertheless, are becoming one of the most dangerous bottlenecks of future innovation systems.19
14 Hållbar värmländsk växtkraft, Tillväxtprogram för Värmland 2004-2007, Länsstyrelsen I Värmlands län och Region Värmland, p. 3, http://www.regionvarmland.se/filer/pdf/RTP%20Huvudrapport%200312.pdf, 2008-03- 07 15 In the newspaper Dagens Industri, 2008-02-18 16 Debattartikel, http://www.regionvarmland.se/filer/pdf/Nyh%20080218_DI.pdf, 2008-03-07 17 Van Vught, F., et. al., Supporting the Contribution of Higher Education Institutions to Regional Development, Peer Review Report: Värmland Region Sweden, OECD, May 2006, p. 45 18 For a deeper understanding see the full report on http://www.oecd.org/edu/higher/regionaldevelopment. 19 Edler, J., et.al. “New Governance for innovation -The Need for Horizontal and Systematic Policy Co- ordination”, Report on a Workshop, Fraunhofer ISI Discussion Papers Innovation System and Policy Analysis, No 2/2003, Karlsruhe, June 2003, p. 3
8 Further, they argue that the politico-administrative systems in most OECD countries is characterised by emerging multi-level governance (in the context of European integration) that makes the coordination of policy approaches even more difficult.20 The lack of coordination between different policy areas can be described in terms of fragmentation. There are two kinds of fragmentation problems discussed in this field, horizontal and vertical. The dimension of horizontal fragmentation occurs as a consequence of the horizontal divisions of policy areas into different authorities and departments. The vertical fragmentation problems occur as the policy areas also are vertically divided into national, regional and local levels. The problem of fragmentation is difficult when the different levels and authorities are dependent upon each other to solve complex problems in society.21 The fragmentation of the political institutions in Sweden has been subject to discussion, assessments and research and the institutional arrangement in the regional work has been called “a regional mess”22.
The choice of subject for this essay is the concept of the triple helix, regional development and the problems of horizontal and vertical fragmentation. Are there coordination problems in Region Värmland? And, Is it the setting of the political institutions that can be the variable to explain these problems?
1.2 Purpose and Research Questions
The purpose of this essay is to study the role of the political institutions in regional development plans, which are based largely on the ideas of the triple helix. More specifically the purpose is to examine whether the arrangement of the political institutions can be one of the variables that explain problems associated with the triple helix concept and regional development. To answer this question I will examine the use of the triple helix concept in the Värmland Region through the theory of multi-level and multi-sector governance. I will more specifically describe which problems civil servants experience in their work within these institutions that can hinder economic growth and development e.g. to develop a theoretical
20 Edler, J., et.al., a.a. p. 5 21 Statskontoret, Joining-up for regional development, 2007:2, p. 13 and, on the Karlsruhe conference the institutional setting of innovation policy was called a “legal and regulatory mess created in the multi-level and multi-departmental arena”. Edler, J., et. al. “New Governance for Innovation –The Need for Horizontal and Systematic policy Co-ordination”, Report on a Workshop, Fraunhofer ISI Discussion Papers Innovation System and Policy Analysis, no 2/2003, Karlsruhe, June 2003, p. 10 22Statskontoret, 2007:2, a.a. sid. 16 (My own translation)
9 comprehension of what kinds of empirical problems can emerge from the triple helix in practice.
This is relevant from a political science perspective since it is of great importance that the political institutions work effectively and the way the elected politicians intend to. If this is not the case we have a democratic problem. According to democracy theory it is worth speaking of three cornerstones in a democratic society: citizen rule, the rule of law and efficiency23. Its necessary that the government, the authorities and the bureaucracy have the efficiency that it takes to implement the decisions since the power of democracy is dependent upon the efficiency of the system.24
1.2.1 Research Questions
From the problematization above I have formulated the following research questions: Is there evidence of lack of cooperation between the university, the public sector and the industry in the Värmland region? And, if this is the case can these problems be related to the problems associated with the fragmentation of the institutional setting? Specification of problem and the specific research questions is presented in chapter 3.1 Specification of Problem and Delimitations.
1.3 Previous Research
To put my research in a wider context I here present some of the research that has been done in the fields of regional development, the triple helix and multi-level governance. The casual relationship that underpins my choice of research question is that regional growth can be attained by cooperation between the three spheres university, business and the public sector. Etzkowitz and Leydersdorrf have described three policy models of the triple helix25. In Model one the universities and the private sector is part of the sovereign state (like in the former Soviet Union), in Model two there are three actors independent from each other (like the former Swedish and USA model) and in the third model the three institutional spheres are overlapped in a co-operational institutional setting. The first two models are believed to
23 Peterson, O., Statsbyggnad –den offentliga maktens organisation, SNS Förlag, fjärde upplagan 2003, sid. 10 ff 24 ibid. 25 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B. (2004), “Narrating the triple Helix concept in weak regions: lessons from Sweden”, International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 27, No. 5, pp. 513-530, p. 515
10 impede innovations while the third model is the one that most countries and regions are trying to attain in order to encourage growth.26
This thought is challenged in Jensen and Trägårdhs article Narrating the Triple Helix concept in weak regions: lessons from Sweden, which is an critical review of the implementation of the concept of the triple helix in weak regions. The scholars argue that the concept is rhetorically powerful but hard to implement since it is a vague concept.27 From a theory of political interests and motives they critically review if the concept is possible to use in weak regions through a comparative study on Dalsland and Göteborg.28 Their results shows that cooperation is easier said than done, as the triple helix is shown hard to implement when there is no tradition of cooperation. Further they argue that the regional development work can cause tensions between the national and the local level as the “local government have local matters as first priority, the national government regards national development as most important” even when “the same political party is in power on both the regional and the national level”29. These multi-level governance problems are in focus in much of the research done in the field of the triple helix. Jensen and Trägårdh also argue that the concept of the triple helix should be complemented by the components civic community and civic culture. In spite of the scholars critical narrative they conclude that they “see no better alternative than regarding Triple Helix cooperation as a key factor in regional development”30.31
Concerning the fragmentation problems that occur as a consequence of the multi-level governance, Dietmar Braun has argued for the need of a “new governance for innovations”. The main argument for this is that Braun find that the institutional structures are in discrepancies to the changing condition for innovation policy and the two main problems he sees with the institutional setting are “the lack of horizontal, inter-systematic cooperation and coordination… and the institutional fragmentation”32. Braun desiderates a system with the “capacity to think in terms of the whole, of problems and solutions and to anticipate the future”33. Further he emphasises that formal coordination is important but that the
26 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B., a.a. p. 515 f 27 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B., a.a. p. 515 28 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B., a.a. p. 517 ff 29 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B., a.a. p. 523 30 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B., a.a. p. 528 31 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B., a.a. p. 527 f 32 Edler, J., et. al. a.a., p. 7 33 Edler, J., et. al. a.a. p. 7
11 possibilities through informal means also are important in the process of “enabling policies”34.
Christensen and Kempinsky also (as Jansen and Trägårdh) put the climate of innovation in relationship to the social climate. They mean that the term innovation refers to a renewal, not only in the technological sense but also in a social matter where social innovations and societal changes affects the climate of innovations. The ability to use and accept new innovations is dependent upon the social, cultural, economic and technological climate. They argue that it in a developing process is easy to focus on the assets the region already has in terms of competence, capital and infrastructure and forget the “soft variables” as history, culture, values and social capital. The region Gnosjö is an exemple of how social capital, silent knowledge and values can be an engine toward economic success35. The nonconformist minds of the inhabitants are here seen as a key factor to the success of the region. The authors also refer to Richard Floridas beheld book where he tries to explain the engines of economic growth. He finds a relationship between the numbers of gay partnerships and a regions climate of innovations. He concludes that regions that are characterised by diversity, openness and tolerance are the ones most favourable for sustainable economic growth.36
Susan Marton has done research in the field of innovation policy and the concept of the triple helix. My research is made in the footprints of her works, primary inspired of the article Innovation and National Policy-making: Political efforts to reform Swedish research policy to meet the needs of innovation policy, 1996-2007. Martons work addresses the question of national policymaking for innovations through the focus on the fields of education and research policy, industrial policy and regional policy.37 From this perspective she draws the conclusion that the policies reviewed reflect the ideas captured by the term triple-helix model and that the process leading to an “innovation system” in Sweden is highly complex. Marton highlights the Multi-level governance problems in the design and implementation of innovation policy at the regional level and that the division of responsibility in this regional politics is problematic. She also argue that there are “strong and sometimes suspicious,
34 Edler, J., et. al. a.a. p. 8 35 This social climate is often referd to as “Gnosjöandan”, or the Gnosjö spirit. 36 Christensen, L., Kempinsky, P. (red.) a.a. p. 28 ff 37 Marton, S., “Innovation and National Policy-Making: Political efforts to reform Swedish research policy to meet the needs of innovation policy”, 1996-2007, p. 3
12 institutional interests at the regional level38” and that ideologies matters in the policy-making process.39 She also argues that democratic problems, that concerns the powerful roles that is given to unelected bureaucrats that has a powerful role in the planning process of structural funds, needs to be discussed. In relation to this, the focus in my research is upon the complexity of this process, upon the concept of the triple helix at the regional level, and the multi-level governance and multi-sector problems that might occur from this point of view.
1.4 Background
In order to give a better understanding of the research issue and to put it in a wider context I here present a historical review of the Swedish regional politics and Region Värmland.
1.4.1 Sweden and its Regional Politics
The modern regional politics of Sweden originate from the mid 1960s when Sweden’s economy prospered enormously. Regional politics was an important part of the development of society and politics. In this era regional politics was seen as compensating and allocating regional differences in wealth. The planning was centrally controlled by the government, with the exception of the planning of counties (in swedish “länsplanering”), which was made by the County Administrative Boards (CAB).40 When Sweden entered the EU, the programs, through the EU:s structure funds, replaced the earlier plans in the politics of regional development. This approach was new in Sweden and it was a challenge to the political system. The EU, national and regional public actors, private and none-profit making organizations should now gather and cooperate in the financing and implementation of these programs. Since then the Swedish regional policies has been dominated by programs. Salience for programs as a tool is that they have goals, they are temporal, long-term and they inhabit a numerous of projects, actions and efforts.41
The view of regions as an engine for economic development emerged at the end of the 1990s when the counties gathered around the regional growth agreements (in Swedish regionala tillväxtavtalen, RTA). Christensen and Kempinsky argue that the politics in the 90s still was
38 Marton, S., a.a. p. 18 (the author has quoted Bache and Olsson) 39 Marton, S., a.a. p. 18 f 40 Dahlgren, B., a.a. p. 4 41 Nutek, “Uppföljning av de regionala utvecklingsprogrammen”, 2007 p. 8
13 pervaded by a high degree of compensating differentials between the regions.42 The RTAs was presented in the proposition Regional Growth for Work and Welfare43 in 1998 and came into effect in year 2000.44 In the footprints of the RTAs, which were the regions own priorities, financed partly by the structure funds, the Regional Growth Programmes (in Swedish regionala tillväxtprogram, RTP) was introduced.45 These RTPs was initiated by the government in the proposition “A Policy for Growth and Vitality in the Whole Country”46, and the first round of RTPs expired 2007 (starting from 2004). These programs were a harmonization to the EU programmes and the purpose was to “coordinate the work in fields where cooperation between sectors would yield a development of sustainable labour market regions from a business perspective”47.48
In the beginning of the 21th century the regional policy arsenal was complemented with the regional development programmes (in Swedish regionala utvecklingsprogrammen, RUP). The suggestion of RUP was a part of the proposition of regional development (2001/02:4) and has been regulated in the ordinance (2003:595) of the work on regional development. It is the regional administration, the municipal administration or the county administrative board that are responsible of formulating a RUP. The programme should be formulated in cooperation with the involved actors: municipalities, country council, organizations, private sector and state authorities. The purpose is to coordinate the different sectors (vertical and horizontal).49
There are many signs of a policy orientation toward economic growth. Christensen and Kempinsky points out a couple of these. They mean that the national authorities are mobilising for growth both through the arrangement of institutions and authorities and through propositions concerning regional development and regional cooperation. There are a couple of authorities that are responsible for growth issues, above all NUTEK (Swedish Agency for Economic and regional Growth), ISA (Invest in Sweden Agency), VINNOVA (Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) responsible for promoting issues of
42 Christensen, L., Kempinsky, P. (red.), a.a. p. 16 43 My translation 44 Background the regional growth agreements, http://www.nutek.se/sb/d/494, 2008-04-25 45 Nutek, “Uppföljning av de regionala utvecklingsprogrammen” 2007, p. 8 46 My translation of: En politik för tillväxt och livskraft I hela landet, prop. 2001/02:4 47 Nutek, “Uppföljning av de regionala utvecklingsprogrammen” 2007 p. 10 48 ibid. 49 Nutek, “Uppföljning av de regionala utvecklingsprogrammen” 2007sid. 11
14 growth and ITPS (Swedish Institute for Growth Policy Studies) responsible for the illumination and scientific study of these questions.50
1.4.2 Region Värmland
In small countries regions has been described as “something that is smaller than a nation but bigger than a local context”51. Lindh et. al. argues that a region at an advanced level is problematic to define. Although they describe three ways of conceptualize regions; as a functional, a administrative and/or a cultural/historical/identity region. Sometimes a region can possess all of these features and sometimes they intersect each other within or across.52 Further, the scholars describe three different forms of regionalisation processes; a process of decentralisation (a top-down process), a process of separatism and a process of region building. In the first process the state transfer power down to a regional level, in the process of separatism there are regional intentions of gaining political autonomy and in the process of region building, the “local- and regional actors consciously strive to create new, or strengthen existing, often weak, regions”53.54 The purpose with the creation of RV was to create a competitive and attractive region for inhabitants and companies, a process that can be described as region building55.
Värmland is located in Sweden and is a relatively small region with about 275 00 inhabitants. Värmland is an old county with a strong cultural tradition in literature, songs and storytelling. The major industries in the region are pulp and paper, steel and services.56 In 2005/2006 the OECD/IMHE project “Supporting the Contribution of Higher Education Institutions to Regional Development” was carried out. Fourteen regions in twelve countries were engaged in a project, which aimed at creating a coherent body of policy and practice to guide higher
50 Christensen, L., Kempinsky, P. (red.) a.a. p. 16 f 51 Statskontoret, Joining-up for regional development, 2007:2, p. 57. (Regions in bigger countries often are a level below the state. Its also worth mentioning that a region can be an area bigger than nations, like Europe.) 52 Andersson and Karlsson argue that a functional region is the relevant region from an economic point of view, and that it since this is important to see that regional innovation policies are formulated and executed for functional regions. The authors define a functional region as “characterized by a high intensity of economic interaction and consists of nodes, such as municipalities, connected by networks and networks of infrastructure”. In, Andersson, M., Karlsson, C., “Regional Innovation Systems in Small & Medium-sized Regions”,, p. 6 f 53 Lindh, M. et.al., “Understanding regional Action and the European Union –A Fusion Approach”, Karlstad University Studies, 2007:41 p. 16 54 Lindh, M. et.al., a.a. p. 14 ff 55 About Region Värmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/index.asp?id=1357, 2008-04-23 56 Van Vught, F., et. al., a.a., p. 12
15 educational institutions and regional and national governments in regional development. The project was a response to the multiplicity of initiatives across the OECD countries concerning regional development. The project was also conducted in order “to assist with capacity building in each country/region through providing an opportunity for dialogue between Higher Education Institutions and regional stakeholders and clarifying the roles and responsibilities”57.58 The region of Värmland was one of the smallest regions under study in the OECD project.59 The political organisation of the region was described as complex by the OECD review team;
The Värmland region has a somewhat complex policy and governance context and there are three organisms working with planning and decision making on a regional level.
The County Administrative Board is the governmental organisation for planning and regional development. The Board Funds the implementation of the Regional Growth Programme. Historically the board has played an important role in developing Värmland and it remains the most powerful organisation for questions of future development. Formally, the national government appoints the county governor who presides over the County Administrative Board.
In Sweden, County Councils…have an impact on regional policies and development. The County Council in Värmland has as its major task the provision of health care, but it also has a major stake in the public transport system in the county.
Until recently the Council had a broader range of functions, but many tasks have been moved to Region Värmland. This is an indirectly elected organisation including politicians from the 16 municipalities and from the County Council. The Region Värmland is now responsible for the fields of culture, energy, media and some strategic planning.
As in the rest of Sweden, the municipalities have important responsibilities for the provision of various public services…for which they can raise taxes… There are also Partnership Värmland, a body of representatives from County Administrative Board, Region Värmland, the County Council, Karlstad municipality, the business sector, the labour unions, Karlstad University, and the Employment Board. The County Governor assumes the chair of this Partnership, which sees itself as “the
57 Van Vught, F., et. al., a.a.. p. 7 58 ibid. 59 Van Vught, F., et. al., a.a. p. 12
16 joint owner” of the Regional Growth programme. However, the Partnership has no formal authority and works on a basis of communication and consensus building.60
The team also suggested that the “further development of joint activities and investments in the clusters are, in particular, of crucial importance61” and recommended the creation of a regionally owned risk capital foundation. Regarding research and innovation the team recommend;
That regional structures to support innovation should be strengthened through the further development of the regional business cluster…
That Karlstad University should, through its own research strategy, create stronger relationships with these regional clusters…
That the ties between the regional clusters and the national policy context need to be strengthened. The various regional governance bodies need to intensify their co- operation and create an effective co-ordinating mechanism in order to translate the results of the prioritisation process into a more effective implementation strategy.62
That, in order to achieve the above, the regional governance bodies maintain and further develop channels of communication (and effective lobbying) to national socio-economic policy development and decisionmaking.63
According to NUTEK´s follow up on the implementation of the RUPs, RV until now hasn’t fulfilled the ordinance of the work on regional development (2003:595). The work on a RUP in the region is a work in process (starting in the beginning of 2007).64 The region has had the regional growth program “Hållbar värmländsk växtkraft 2004-2007” and has now formulated the development programme “Värmland växer” (in English “Värmland is growing”) which is based on the experiences of the work with the regional growth programme. Responsible for the programme has been RV and the work has been done in cooperation and dialogue with hundreds of people. According to RV it has been a process where “everyone has contributed with his or her knowledge, viewpoints and ideas”65 and it has been important to find a “joint
60 Van Vught, F., et. al. a.a. p. 15 f (note that RV became a formal collaborative body in January 2007) 61 ibid. 62 Van Vught, F., et. al., p. 45 63 Van Vught, F., et. al., p. 46 64 Nutek, “Uppföljning av de regionala utvecklingsprogrammen”, 2007 p. 63 65 Region Värlmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/index.asp?id=2648, 2008-04-16 (my translation)
17 vision”66. In November 2008, the representative assembly of the region will discuss the programme and make a formal decision.67
1.5 Disposition
In the introduction of the essay I present the choice of subject, research issue, purpose and research question. The thesis is then put in a bigger context by a short presentation of previous research within the field. The last section of the chapter gives a background to the research questions.
In chapter two the theoretical approach and the framework for analysis is presented. The chapter is introduced with a short presentation of regional growth and continuous with the concept of the triple helix and a matrix for analysis of regional development processes. The third part of the chapter is an overview of the problems associated with Multi-level governance that may effect the implementation of the triple helix. The chapter end with a model of cooperation that, in this thesis, is used to measure different empirical forms of cooperation.
Chapter three is introduced with specification of problems and delimitations, which leads us to the specific research questions of the thesis. In the second part of the chapter the method for collection of data and the interviewed is presented. In the third part I describe method for analysis. The chapter ends with a discussion about the validity and reliability of the study.
In chapter four my empirical findings are presented in three sections; First, I present the process of creating the RTA. Secondly, I present the process of creating the RTP and the RUP and thirdly follow a brief presentation of the prospects and challenges for triple helix in the Värmland Region.
In chapter five my empirical findings are analysed from without my theoretical framework in chapter two. The analysis in conducted in four phases. First I analyse the process of evolving the RTA and secondly, the processes of evolving the RTP and RUP. Thirdly, I present an
66 Region Värmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/index.asp?id=2648, 2008-04-16 (my translation) 67 Region Värmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/index.asp?id=2626, 2008-04-16
18 analysis of prospects and challenges in Värmland from a triple helix perspective and end with an analysis of whether it is possible to see a change in the form of fragmentation as the kind of cooperation changes.
In chapter six the conclusions of my findings are presented and my research questions is answered. The chapter, and thus the thesis are ended with a concluding discussion. In this part I put my findings in a wider context by discussing them in relation to previous research within the field and discuss the relevance of my findings and which theoretical comprehensions that could be drawn from my study.
Last, references and appendix.
19 2. Theoretical Connections
In this chapter I present the theoretical connections and the framework I will use to analyse my material.
2.1 Regional Growth
Regional growth is a very complex phenomenon and very hard to handle. Regional growth is thus a good example of a wicked issue68. One reason for this wickedness is that the problems change with the development of the world economy. What also creates the wickedness is that there is too many parallel interventions to try solve the problems.69 Bengt Dahlgren, the director of planning in the county administrative board in Värmland, argues that the work on regional development often has a bad memory. He means that this is the consequence of its nature as future oriented.70 This is why evaluation theory is important. The problem that arises from this complexity is the problem of understanding causal relationships.71 Christensen and Kempinsky introduce a model that can help us understand regional growth72:
Figure 2.1 Model of Regional Growth73
The actor’s capacity To coordinate their actions
The assets of the Entrepreneurship “The vision” Region and sustainable Innovation spirit economic growth
Human’s valuations, Culture and “mindset”
68Wicked issues have incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements; and solutions to them are often difficult to recognize, because of complex interdependencies. 69 Statskontoret, Joining-up for regional development, 2007:2, p. 58 70 Dahlgren, B., a.a. p. 14 71 Statskontoret, Joining-up for regional development, 2007:2, p. 59 72 The model is a revision of Montana et al., Strategic Planning in the Thechnology-Driven World: A Guide- book for Innovation-Led Development. Washington DC: EDA US Deparment of Commerce, 2001 73 Model from Christensen, L., Kempinsky, P., (2004) a.a. p. 34 which also was presented by Christensen on the seminar Värmland I en globaliserad värld: hållbara affärer – regional nisch för konkurrenskraft? 2 April, 2008
20
According to the model the vision is sustainable economic growth. This vision is in conformity to the RUP, where the economic perspective is complemented with a social and ecological perspective on development74. The model is an input- output model that can be criticised for being too simple. Although, the authors argue, there are no better independent variable explaining economic growth than technology and innovations. The ability to commercialise the knowledge is also a prerequisite for growth, this is where the entrepreneurship becomes important. Entrepreneurship and innovations are, according to the model, dependent upon the assets of the region (soft as well as hard assets), the people’s valuations, culture and “mindset” and the coordination capacity of the actors.75 The focus of this essay is on the actor’s capacity to coordinate their actions, or more precisely the capacity of the public sector, the industry sector and the university to coordinate their actions to contribute to economic growth.
2.2 The Concept of the Triple Helix
…Innovation is not a linear, but an evolutionary, cumulative and feedback process, which can only be realised in cooperation and in economic and social interaction of different actors, and as a result produces technological, organisational and social innovations76.
According to the concept of the Triple Helix the key to a better environment for innovation in a knowledge-based society is cooperation between universities, the public and the private sector. The private sector is an important place for production, the state an important regulator and guarantee for stability and the universities are important in the production of knowledge and technology.77 The process of reaching a triple helix region is not linear; there are different ways of achieving it. Each region has different starting points and preconditions. The model opens up for a multitude of view-points since its neither a pure political nor a pure market driven process. Most regions have gaps in their innovation environment, which according to the model can be filled by other actors (for example a lack of regional governance can be substituted by a university that takes initiative to cooperation). This is why it’s worth speaking
74 See chapter 1.4.1 75 Christensen, L., Kempinsky, P., (2004) a.a. p. 34 f 76 Koschatzky, K., “Foresight as a Governance Concept at the Interface between Global Challenges and Regional Innovation Potentials”, European Planning Studies, Vol. 13, No. 4, June 2005., pp 620-639, p. 620 77 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 13
21 of an innovation environment rather than innovation systems. A region that lacks knowledge- based development may create an incubator or a science park in adherence to a university, to create regional development. Etzkowitz separates between “well-nourished” and “skinny” regions, dependent upon if they have any structure that support innovations.78 As mentioned in the introduction the region in this way can “construct advantages” by the establishment of learning regions. Koschatzky explains the differences between various regions innovation environment:
In theoretical concepts like clusters, innovative milieu and regional innovation system, regional innovation differences are no longer explained by locational parameters… but by the ability of economic actors in a region to establish intra- and inter-regional information and production networks, to participate in network integration and to profit from these networks by collective learning processes.79
The cooperation between the triple helix actors and the development of strategies for innovation is the core of the triple helix concept. The concept urges for an institutional setting that supports the creation of new organisational structures that support innovations, e.g. incubators, science parks, venture capital companies etc. These new forms of organisational forms emerge in the cooperation between the university, the business sector and the public sector in order to support renewal and are in itself a synthesis of the different elements of the triple helix.80 A central term in this context is clusters81, which in combination with an entrepreneurial university is the new ideal in a knowledge-based development. This is a challenge both for the academy and for the industry sector. A new organisation is needed in order to enable cooperation both in the internal institutional sphere as well as in the relation to the external actors.82
78 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 110 ff 79 Koschatzky, K., ”Knowledge-based regional development -Governance concepts at the interface between global challenges and regional innovation potentials”, April 2004, p. 2 80 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 25 81 The term cluster is used in somewhat different senses by different scholars, it can refer to adjacent corporations with the same product, a group of mutually dependent adjacent branch of industries, network between corporations, groups of corporations that share the same technique, an innovative environment, Marton, Susan, Second opinion on the regional development programme, Karlstad University, unpublished. 82 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 154
22
The importance of networking, learning and the exchange of knowledge is emphasised in the concepts of regional innovation systems (RIS):
RIS are characterised by close networking between firms, universities, research institutes, intermediaries, financial organisations and other agencies, by the existence of a local capital market, by a certain degree of regional governance, e.g. by autonomous public spending competence, by the responsibility for the extension of classical infrastructural facilities, and by an innovative atmosphere and a learning orientation of firms and the whole population. Usually, RIS can be parts of a national innovation system.83
The concept of regional innovation systems are highly complex, influenced by the regional assets but also by the technological, corporate, economic and political systems and regimes. This is why the concept of governance becomes a central aspect of an innovative environment. Governance has been defined as the many ways individuals and institutions, public and private, manage their common affairs. It includes both formal and informal institutions and arrangements.84 Since regional innovation systems originates from the discussion of national innovation systems and since the nation state is seen as the provider of the overall framework for innovation, the understanding of regional innovations systems requires a multi-level governance approach.85 Decentralisation has, in countries like Sweden were there hasn’t been a tradition of a regionally controlled decision level, been an important strategy to facilitate the accommodation of the politics to the regional prerequisites. Since its been considered hard for the central government to formulate suitable strategies.86
83 Koschatzky, K., “Knowledge-based regional development -Governance concepts at the interface between global challenges and regional innovation potentials”, April 2004, p. 3 84 Koschatzky, K., “Foresight as a Governance Concept at the Interface between Global Challenges and Regional Innovation Potentials”, a.a. p. 621 85 Marton, S., “Innovation and National Policy-Making: Political efforts to reform Swedish research policy to meet the needs of innovation policy 1996-2007”, p. 5 86 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 71
23 2.2.1 A Matrix for Analysis of Regional Development Processes
Table 2.1 shows a matrix for analysis and comparison of regional development processes. According to Etzkowitz model of the triple helix where three spheres (university, the public and private sector) acts in three “rooms”:
Table 2.1 Knowledge Based Development in Three Phases87
Phase of development Salience feature Create a “room of knowledge” Focus on a regional innovation environment where different actors work towards improving the local conditions for innovations through the adduction of similar research and development activities. Create a “room of consensus” Ideas and strategies are developed in a triple helix through several mutual relations between institutional spheres (academic, public, private). Create a “room of innovations” Attempts to realise the goals that was stipulated in the second phase; to establish and/or attract public and private venture capital (combined capital, knowledge in technique and economy) is important.
As mentioned above the trilateral driven process towards a regional innovation environment doesn’t have to be linear, which means that a region doesn’t necessarily have to follow the phases in order. It can move non-linear as well. Although, the first step is often to create a room of knowledge, which involves the creation of the necessary components for technology development. This implies a concentration of science and development to different geographical areas. When the science organisations have been established they are starting to accommodate to the region by involving local problems into their science programmes.
87 From Etzkowitz, H., Trippelhelix –den nya innovationsmodellen, SNS Förlag, 2005, p. 119, (My own translation)
24 Universities, the public sector and the industry create loosely connected mutual relations to encourage technological innovations. The prerequisite for this is that the region has scientific and technological institutions as well as other important supporting structures such as a leadership that support new initiatives.88
The development of a room of consensus implies that the knowledge is not only a possible source to economic and social development, it becomes an actual source to development. The room of consensus is an arena for mutual relations between actors from different institutional spheres and with different perspectives with the purpose to create new strategies and ideas.
The creation of a room of innovations implies that the goals in the consensus room can be fulfilled. This phase is about to fill the gaps in their innovation environment through organisational means. Risk capital and science parks are important organisational prerequisites.89 Etzkowitz emphasize the significance of that the right persons are in the room of consensus. It is important that these people are from the different spheres, that they are trustworthy and have the ability to make decisions. If this is not the case it can be problematic to move from the room of consensus to a room of innovations. There is a risk of conflict here between those who wish fast results and those who find long term visions more fruitful. Etzkowitz argues that it is necessary with a balance between short-term goals and more overarching projects.90
It is important to notice that the concept of the triple helix doesn’t advocate that universities, the private sector and the public sector should abandon their original roles and identities. The purpose is that these actors through cooperation should strengthen each other in their institutional roles.91
88 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p 113 f 89 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 114 ff 90 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 120 f 91 Etzkowitz, H., a.a. p. 27 f
25 2.3 Problems associated with Triple Helix – Multi-Level Governance
The regional policy arena is “composed of a variety of political, corporate, social and scientific actors”92. According to much of the research done in the field of innovation policy and regional development, the multi-level and multi-sector governance structure creates difficulties in the cooperation between the triple helix actors.93 This can be considered as a democratic challenge since the introduction of a regional level in the national politics changes the political preconditions and enhance the complexity of the political system.94
The governance problems in most OECD countries innovation policies has been described as characterised by departmentalisation and sectoralisation of the political administration and low inter-departmental exchange and cooperation. The emergence of multi-level governance is considered as an obstacle for bridging policy approaches.95 One aspect of the multi-level governance problems is stated by Trägårdh and Jensen when they conclude that national governments regards national development as most important whilst local government views local development as first priority and that this could cause tension even when the same political party is in power in the different policy levels.96 Koschatzky describes this problem from a somewhat different approach when he argues that the problems with “multi-level governance relationships are the regional side-effects of non-regional policies. These policies can have direct effects on regional innovation activities (e.g. fiscal or agricultural policies and regulations) and might support or counterbalance regionally oriented and implemented policies.”97
The attempt to optimize the coherence and consistency of political decisions and policy implementation can be understood as a endeavour for a greater degree of cooperation and coordination in order to overcome the problems associated with the multi-level and multi- sector governance problems. The coordination can be done between policies, between actors
92 Koschatzky, K., “Foresight as a Governance Concept at the Interface between Global Challenges and Regional Innovation Potentials”, a.a. p. 622 93 See for example Koschatzky, K., “Knowledge-based regional development –governance concepts at the interface between global challenges and regional innovation potentials”, April 2004 or Statskontoret, Joining-up for regional development, a.a. or SOU 2000:64, Regional försöksverksamhet –tre studier. 94 SOU 2000:64, Regional försöksverksamhet –tre studier, p. 147 95 Edler, J., et. al. (2003) a.a. p. 5 96 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B., a.a. p. 523 97 Koschatzky, K., ”Knowledge-based regional development –governance concepts at the interface between global challenges and regional innovation potentials”, April 2004, p. 7
26 and stakeholders and between different levels, since there is between these that fragmentation otherwise may occur. 98
2.3.1 Different Forms of Cooperation
Table 2.2 Taxonomy of Different Types of Relationships
Type of Relationship Category of Relationship between Entities Definition______
Coordination Taking into account Strategy development considers the impact of/on others
Dialogue Exchange of information
Joint planning Temporary joint planning or joint working
Integration Joint working Temporary collaboration
Joint venture Long-term joint planning and joint working on major project core to the mission of at least one participating entity
Satellite Separate entity, jointly-owned created to serve as integrative mechanism
Increasing closeness and Strategic alliance Long-term joint planning and mutual involvement (but not working on issues core to the necessarily greater efficacy or mission of at least one collective action) participating entity
______
Table from 6, Perry, Joined-up Government in the Western world in Comparative Perspective: A Preliminary Literature Review and Exploration, a.a. pp. 103-138, p. 108, (I have revised the taxonomy by removing two types of relationships that was not interesting from a triple helix perspective, see 3.4 validity and reliability.)99
Table 2.2 presents empirical forms of cooperation in the sphere of public administration. It shows different forms of cooperation from the least to the most organisationally demanding and most deeply involved forms. The author of the taxonomy argues that there often are
98 Wollmann, H., “Coordination in the Intergovernmental Setting”, in Peters, G., Pierre, J., Handbook of Public Administration, Sage Publications, 2003, p. 594 99 The taxonomy is also presented in Hill, M., Policyprocessen, Liber AB, Kristianstad, 2007, p. 233
27 bigger differences in co-operational structures between policy fields within a country than between countries.100 The policy field investigated in this thesis is the policy of regional growth and development. The taxanomy will be used in order to explain how the work has proceeded from the work on the RTA to the work on the RUP (see 3.1 for specification of problem and delimitations). The degree of cooperation will be measured in relation to where the different forms of coordination can be done to prevent fragmentation;
• Across policies (in order to overcome the sectoral (horizontal) fragmentation of policies and to achieve comprehensive and “holistic” responses to complex problems); • Across actors and stakeholders (in order to accommodate the often-conflicting interests of political, socio-economic, administrative, professional etc. actors and actor “communities”); and • Across levels (in order to overcome the vertical fragmentation of policies and actors…)101
It is important to have in mind that all regions do not face the same preconditions since the capacity of the regional political administration may vary between regions. This capacity is dependent upon the regions functional or political-administrative spatial units, which may vary in size, political structure and economic strength.102
In the preceding chapter I have presented my theoretical approach concerning regional growth, the concept of the triple helix and a matrix for analysing regional development processes. I also present problems that may arise is the implementation of the triple helix, as a consequence of multi-level and multi-sector governance. I ended the chapter with a taxonomy of different types of relations and a brief presentation of in between what levels and actors cooperation can be done to prevent fragmentations.
100 6, Perry, “Joined-up Government in the Western world in Comparative Perspective: A Preliminary Literature Review and Exploration”, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, vol. 14. no. 1, pp. 103-138, 2004, p. 106 101 Wollmann, H., a.a. p. 594 102 Koschatzky, K., “Foresight as a Governance Concept at the Interface between Global Challenges and Regional Innovation Potentials”, a.a. p. 622
28 3. METHOD
3.1 Specification of Problem and Delimitations
To delimit my research question I have specified my research questions in relation to the background given above (1.4.1 Sweden and its Regional Politics, which shows how the RTA, the RTP and the RUP has been important instruments in the national and regional work for economic growth and development the last decade): Is there evidence of cooperation problems in the process from the Regional Growth Agreements (RTA) to the Regional Development Programmes (RUP) between the university, the public sector and the industrial actors in the Värmland region? And if this is the case, can these problems be related to the problems associated with the fragmentation of the institutional setting? Since the RTAs was initiated by the government in 1998 and since the RUP in the Värmland region still is a work in process I will focus upon the time interval year 1998-2008. I will in this study only explain the effects of multi-level governance problems in the national context. It would have been interesting to also investigate the problems associated with the EU-level, but the time frame of this thesis makes this difficult.
3.1.1 Specific Research Questions
1. Is there evidence of a lack of cooperation between the university, the public sector and the business actors in the process of creating the a.) Regional Growth Agreements for Värmland? b.) Regional Growth Programmes for Värmland? c.) Regional Development Programmes for Värmland?
2. If this is the case, can these cooperation problems in the agreement and/or programmes be related to the fragmentation of the institutional setting?
3. Do we see various forms of fragmentation as the kind of cooperation changes? E.g. from one based on coordination to one based on mutual involvement?
4. And, how can the prospects and challenges for Värmland be described from a triple helix perspective?
29 3.2 Method for Collection of Data
The thesis is a qualitative case study of cooperation between the triple helix actors in Region Värmland. Charles C. Ragin et.al. stresses that the appeal of qualitative method is two-fold. The first argument, which is relevant for the choice of method in this study, is that qualitative method is very useful in fields where concepts are vague and where theories are underdeveloped. Because of this, Ragin argues, qualitative research is often in the forefront of theoretical advancement.103 Despite that there are some research made in the field of triple helix and multi-level governance, the field is somewhat new in political sciences. Both the concept of Triple Helix and the theory of multi-level governance can be viewed as methodologically problematic. Triple Helix has been described as a vague concept104 and multi-level governance can be viewed as under theorized105. The second argument is that many questions cannot be answered by quantitative methods since they address empirical categories that are “bounded in time and space and thus contain a finite, usually small, number of known instances”106. Since the aim of this thesis is to see which problems civil servants experience in their work within these institutions that can hinder economic growth and development, and since these institutions and the relevant actors in the Värmland region has changed between 1998-2008, qualitative method is a suitable approach.
3.2.1 Collection of Data
The relevant actors in regional development are, according to the concept of the triple helix, universities, the public and the industry sector. To fulfil the aim of this thesis, I will interview involved actors from the public sector, the industry and the university in the Värmland region. The group being studied can be considered an “elite”, thus the primary method in this thesis is elite-interviewing. Burnham et. al. argues that conventional sampling techniques are not suitable in elite-interviewing since “in most elite studies…respondents are not of equal weight. A more usual technique is what is referred to as “snowball” or “refferal” sampling”107. This is the sampling technique used concerning which actors to interview.
103 Ragin, C.C., et.al. “Political Methodology: Qualitative Methods”, in Goodin, E. R., Klingemann, H-D., A New Handbook of Political Science, Oxford University Press, 2000, p. 750 104 See 1.3 Previous Research 105 See Smith, A., “Multi-level governance: What It Is and How It Can Be Studied”, in Handbook of Public Administration, Sage Publications, 2003, p. 620 106 Ragin, C.C., et.al., a.a. p. 750 107 Burnham, P., (m.fl) Research Methods in Politics, Palgrave macmillianm 2004, p. 207
30 I entered the process with a somewhat open mind, with the aim to describe if there is evidence of lack of cooperation between the university, the public sector and the business actors in RV. And if this was the case, could these problems be associated with the fragmentation of the institutional setting? In order to formulate my specific research questions, so they would suit my purpose in a valid way, I started with an interview of both informant and respondent character. The first interviewed was the director of planning on the CAB, a person that has a substantial experience of the work for regional growth and development in Värmland. The interview manual was created on the basis of the concept of triple helix and multi-level governance. The purpose of this was to both get information about what aspects that could be interesting for my purpose, but also to get the respondents view of the field. When the first interview had been conducted I transcribed it and derived my specific research questions from the material.
The following nine interviews have mainly been of respondent character, where the interviewed themselves are in focus: How do they experience co-operation in the Värmland region and which problems do they see that can hinder economic growth in the region? The interview manuals have here been semi-structured; dependent upon that the different respondents have been involved in different stages and processes and also because they posses experiences from different institutions. Open and flexible interviews also allow the respondents to elaborate on their values and attitudes, to talk freely and to offer their interpretation of events. Since an “elite” is interviewed their perspective is paramount.108 This is important to have in mind when the data is interpreted. The process of collection of data can be described as somewhat cumulative. The interview manuals have been structured with regard to the specific research questions, but the process could be described as cumulative in the sense that if there came up an interesting aspect that had not been considered before I have taking it into consideration in the following interviews. This approach has been suitable since the concept of the triple-helix and the theory of multi-level governance is somewhat vague and under-theorised. That regional development is a wicked issue has also pervaded the approach.
On the question of how many to interview there is no simple answer. Its important to have in mind that elite-interviewing is a very time-intensive technique. Burnham means that the
108 Marsh, D., Stoker, G., Theory and Methods in Political Science, Palgrave macmillian, 2002, p. 198 f
31 “saturation point” is reached when each interview is adding relatively little to the stock of information, e.g. when each interview yields diminishing returns.109Esaiasson et.al. argue that ten interviews might be enough, to reach the saturation point, if the right persons are interviewed.110 In this study ten elite-interviews has been conducted.
A problem that may arise when interviews are conducted to investigate processes over time (in this study ten years back) is that people may have forgotten details and that the relevant actors may have swapped positions. Since the work on the agreements was a much smaller process than the programmes this is not so problematic. One of the most important actors in this process has been interviewed, the director of planning on the county administrative board (see 3.2.1.1 The Interviewed). Concerning the programmes, these processes was much broader than the first (the agreement), this is somewhat problematic in the sense that there is not so many actors that has been involved in the whole process. Although, after conducting my interviews according to a “refferal” sampling, the most central actors have been interviewed. It is important to recognise what institutions the different respondents represent when they are interviewed. Since I have used elite-interviews and its of great importance who says what I have not chosen an anonymous presentation, its clear who has said what. I find it irrelevant to state the names of the interviews, so I have chosen to present the interviewed from what position they posses. That the interviewed are not anonymous may have affected the answers, with regard to that some questions may be sensitive. Like one of the respondents said: “It’s important to be diplomatic” (in these issues). With respect of the respondents and ethical regards, the ones that asked to be able to double-check their answers (three respondents), was contacted before I quoted them111.
Burnham et.al. stresses the importance of not basing any piece of work entirely on elite interviewing, which is consistent with the principle of triangulation112. Since my purpose is to examine whether the fragmentation of the institutions can be one of the variables to explain lack of cooperation between the triple helix actors I will complement the interviews with analysis of documents from the national policy organs and regional documents. The documents has been chosen with regard to the specific research questions, and includes the proposition regarding the RTA and the RTP, the ordinance of regional development
109 Burnham, P., et.al., a.a. p. 207 f 110 Essaiasson, (et.al.) Metodpraktikan, –konsten att studera samhälle, individ och marknad, 2007, p. 292 111 See “Five basic ethical principles”, in Burnham, P., et.al. p. 253 112 Burnham, P., et.al.a.a. p. 206
32 programmes and the national strategy for regional competitiveness, entrepreneurship and employment, which also concerns the RUP. The RTA, RTP and RUP for Värmland are also included in the material.
3.2.1.1 The Interviewed
In this section I present the interviewed, what position they possess and what processes they have been a part of. The respondents are categorised by which sphere they primarily represent.
The National Government (the public sector)
The Director of planning, the secretariat for investigation and strategy, The County Administrative Board of Värmland. The respondent was one of the responsible in the regional growth agreement for Värmland, and was also involved in the growth- and development programmes for the county.
Region Värmland (the public sector) The Head of the Department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland, since a year ago. Although he has been involved in the processes from the beginning. Worked at Karlstad municipality at the time of the agreement, was co-writer in the growth programme (when he had his own company) and has been a central actor in the development programme.
Public servant, Department of strategy and analysis, Region Värmland. Worked on “Miljöaktion Värmland” during the agreement and was a part of the process by giving his opinion on it, worked at RV at the time for the programmes: responsible for the growth programme and the development programme.
The Chairman of Region Värmland, since the first of January 2007. Earlier he was “ombudsman” for the Swedish Social Democrats for twenty years.
33 The Industry and Business Sector
Chief executive, The Paper Province. The biggest cluster in Värmland for corporate within the paper and pulp industry. The respondent has been chief executive for the Paper Province since year 2000 when it was a project involving nine enterprises. In year 2003 the Paper Province became an incorporated association with 25 enterprises. Today the Paper Province inhabits 74 enterprises. Earlier the respondent has worked at Stora (which now is Stora Enso). He is familiar with the process of the regional growth agreement in Värmland and has been involved in the processes of the regional growth- and the regional development programmes.
Head of the regional office, Svenskt Näringsliv. Worked for “Swedish Trade Federation” when the regional growth programme was conducted and was a part of this as a representative for this federation.
The University
Project leader, Innovation Support, External relations, Karlstad University, since the first of October 2007. The project is financed by “nyckelaktörsprogrammet”, Vinnova. He has earlier worked at the incubator Inova for six years and has a substantial experience of venture capital, investment banks and innovations.
The Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Research, Karlstad University, involved in the process of the regional development programme. Doing her own research concerning the process of evolving the regional growth programme for Värmland.
The Vice-Chancellor of Karlstad University, since the first of January 2007.
Project leader, One stop shop, External relations, Karlstad University. Earlier employed at “Vägvalet”, Karlstad University.
34 3.3 Method for Analysis
The material is analysed with regard to my specific research questions. My aim has been to first distinguish what the national governmental intent of the agreements and the programmes has been, then to put this in relation to how the process was handled on central level and how involved actors perceived the process. I have also paid attention to what prospects and challenges the interviewed perceive concerning collaboration between the triple helix actors and for regional growth and development in Värmland from a triple helix perspective. The material is qualitative analysed in relation to the concept of triple helix and the theory of multi-level governance. Cooperation is measured in relation to different forms of cooperation (see table 2.2) and multi-level governance problems are discussed in relation to vertical and horizontal institutional fragmentation. An analysis about the prospects and challenges for regional growth and development in Värmland is conducted in relation to Etzkowitz three phase model of knowledge based development (see table 2.1).
3.4 Validity and Reliability
Qualitative research is sometimes accused for “being unrepresentative and atypical…113” and that it’s finding are “impressionistic, piecemeal, and even idiosyncratic114”. According to Devine matters of concern are questions about validity and reliability. I agree with Devine when she argues, “qualitative research methodology has its disadvantages like other methods and techniques. Its advantages, however, are clear when the goal of a piece of research is to explore people’s experiences, practices, values and attitudes in depth and to establish their meaning for those concerned”115.
The problem associated with qualitative research is often bias in the material and lack of objectivity in the collection and analysis of the empirical material.116 Esaiasson differs between validity in concepts (in swedish begreppsvaliditet) and validity in the results (in swedish resultatvaliditet).117 The problems of validity in my research may arise when the theoretical definitions are made measurable through the operational indicators and when the interview manuals is created. Concerning the theoretical validity, the concept of the triple
113 Marsh, D., Stoker, G., a.a. p. 204 114 Marsh, D., Stoker, G., a.a. p. 204 115 Marsh, D., Stoker, G., a.a. p. 207 116 Marsh, D., Stoker, G., a.a. p. 203 ff 117 Esaiasson, P., et.al., a.a. p. 63ff
35 helix is often referred to when cooperation between the public sector, the industry and the university is discussed. The theory of multi-level governance is also usually applied to the problems concerning this cooperation. What can be problematic is to measure cooperation. The taxonomy that I use for this purpose is created in order to empirically measure different kinds of relationships in the public administrative sphere, it has been developed by a professor in social policy who is doing research in the field of “joined-up government”, and it is a modification of similar taxonomies. I think that the taxonomy could be a proper tool to use when analysing how the coordination has evolved between the RTA, the RTP and the RUP. I have revised the taxonomy for my purpose by removing two types of relationships that was not interesting from a triple helix perspective (“union” and “merger”). These relationships were far to integrated for a triple helix approach since the concept of the triple helix does not imply that the triple helix actors should “be a unification” or “a single new identity”.
A problem of reliability, which can be hard to estimate, is the degree of effect I as an interviewer had on the interviewed. Devine stresses some problems with interviews as a method of collecting material and how to handle them:
Informants are often anxious to please and offer responses that they perceive to be desirable. They may seek to impress with shows of bravado and create the impression that they know more than they do…these considerations demand that the interviewer is reflexive about the conduct of an interview…and that they think about the nature of interaction on what was said, how it was said and so forth. Thus, rather than attempt to control the effects of bias in field relations, qualitative researchers prefer to acknowledge it in the process of collecting empirical material and explicitly consider its effects on substantive findings.118
To avoid interview-effects I started every interview by explaining that the respondent should answer only the questions they could, I have also recorded the interviews to avoid selective listening and note-taking when the answers was registered119. In this way I could also make transcripts and listen to the recordings when doing the analysis. The interview-material is saved on mp3 files, so the material is available for review. It’s important to have in mind that the interviews was carried out in Swedish, so they are afterwards translated into English. Also the material from some of the documents is translated from Swedish. The problems of validity
118 Marsh, D., Stoker, G., a.a. p. 206 119 Holmberg, K., Det kallas kärlek, Anamma förlag, 1993, p. 82
36 and reliability in this thesis are in some sense remedied through openness in my research process, so the reader is able to create its own opinion of my results. The interview-guides are attached in the end of the thesis.
37 4. EMPIRICAL FINDINGS
The scholar P-O Norell has described a very central and complex issue, regarding the problems that occur when a regional development programme is formulated. The issue regards regional development programmes but the problem is essential also for the regional growth agreements and the regional growth programmes;
From a general point of view there are some difficulties associated with the formulation of a regional development programme. Though that there are a numerous of interested parties there is a big risk that it shall contain “something for everybody” and that it doesn’t work as a tool for priorities…It could be far to comprehensive and far to enumerated in its character and because of this loose power as a instrument of steering. On the other hand, it is…an important instrument for mobilization, e.g. including; most people should see themselves as a part of an exciting project120.
The problem that is formulated is the complex issue of trying to unify a programme that could work both as a tool for priorities and as a mobilizing and including process. So, how has the work on the RTA, the RTP and the RUP of Värmland evolved?
The empirical findings are presented according to the following approach: First, I present the process of creating the growth agreements according to 1) the intent of the government and 2) the regional action and the respondent’s opinion about the process. Secondly, I present the process of creating the both programmes according to 1) the intents of the government and 2) the regional action and the respondents opinion about the processes. This structure is chosen in order to illuminate how the cooperation has developed on both the vertical and horizontal level, to illustrate what kind of problems that has emerged as a consequence of these kind of fragmentations and in order to be able to answer the question if we see various forms of fragmentation as the kind of cooperation changes (question one, two and three in 3.1.1 Specific Research Questions). Thirdly, I present the interviewees view on prospects and challenges for growth and development in Värmland, from a triple-helix perspective. This presentation is made in order to answer question number four.
120 Norell, P-O., Synpunkter på governance, Second opinion on “Värmland växer”, Karlstad University, 2008- 05-14, unpublished
38 4.1 The Regional Growth Agreements
4.1.1 The Intent of the Government with the Regional Growth Agreements
The government of Sweden presented a “new regional industry policy” in the proposition Regional Growth for Work and Welfare (1997/98:62). The government argued that the economic growth of Sweden could gain if the local prerequisites were taken into consideration in the formulation of the politics of growth. 121 The proposals in the proposition would:
…create aggregative new and better opportunities for a growth based upon every regions own prerequisites. At the same time, the regions are given bigger opportunities to influence their own development.122
The aim was that every region, according to its own prerequisite, would contribute to the economic growth of the country. To increase the effectiveness of the politics there was a demand for change; to increase the coordination between sectors, increase the flexibility in the usage of capital and a decentralisation of the decision-making. The coordination between sectors was desired on both the central and the regional level. A central aspect in the proposition is the proposal of the elaboration of a programme for Regional Growth Agreements;123
The regional growth agreements purpose is to accomplish a better collaboration and comprehensive view between the different organs that work with the promotion of growth and employment on the local, regional and central levels. The agreements shall work as an instrument to in an optimal way take advantage of the resources that the state and other actors put to disposal.124
The CAB and, in the attempt counties125, the regional autonomous bodies, was suggested to be offered to initiate, pursue and coordinate the work, and to invite the “regional partnership”126;
121 Regional tillväxt för arbete och välfärd, propostion 1997/98:62, p. 1 ff 122 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 3 123Propostion 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 15 f 124Propostion 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 197 f 125 The parliament decided in 1996 to start a attempt activity (försöksverksamhet) with a new regional organisation. From the 1/7 1997 to the end of 2002 there are attempts with a changed regional division of responsibility in Skåne, Kalmar and Gotlands counties. From the 1/1 1999, a forth county was affiliated into the
39 The first task for the county administrative board and regional autonomous bodies that intend to be a part (of these agreements), is to invite the “regional partnership”, that is, the industry and business sectors, municipalities, county councils, foundations, chambers of commerce, unions representatives from local development groups et.al. to contribute.127
The work on the agreements were suggested to be created in three steps, where the first phase is a phase of identification and were a SWOT-analysis (A SWOT-analysis comprise the Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of a region) should be performed by the county administrative board or the regional autonomous bodies together with the regional partnership. The parts that make the agreement should decide the geographical limits of the agreements. An agreement can comprise a part of a county, a whole county or different forms of areas that inhibit cooperation across the county boarders. This analysis should function as groundwork for the second phase, which should result in the formulation of goals and priorities for the procedures of the agreement.128 Another aspect that should be considered in this phase is the financial:
The questions of financing should also be discussed. The involved parts are supposed to precise how they intend to contribute to the financing of the agreements and their implementation…Its important that the set of actors are widen in this phase. Central authorities and organs that partly are financed by governmental means and that manage growth and employment promoting issues can…contribute to the agreements content and financing. The regional growth agreements should open up for a mutual opportunity for central and regional actors to get deeper insights in each other’s work. Consequently, substantial surpluses can be created, both with regard to exchange of knowledge between different organs and new opportunities to coordinate resources.129
attempts, Västra Götaland county. For further information see: Johansson, J., et.al., Regional försöksveksamhet – tre studier, Rapport till den parlamentariska regionkommitén, SOU 2000:64 and prop. 1997/98:62, p. 164 f 126 The “regional partnership” is a new form for the work with issues regarding regional growth on the regional level. The partnership should include actors from different spheres, especially from the industry and business sector but also representatives from other organisations and groups. The idea of a “ regional partnership” was to create a better coordination between the sectors and to create a comprehensive view. The idea was promoted by both the state and the EU:s structure funds. For a discussion and problematization regarding the democratic consequences of “regional partnerships” see Hudson, C., Regionala Partnerskap –ett hot eller förverkligande av demokrati? CERUM Working paper 36:2001, http://www.cerum.umu.se/publikationer/pdfs/CWP_36_01.pdf, 2008-05-16 127 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 198 128 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 198 ff 129 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 199
40 Phase three concerns the finalisation of the negotiation of the agreements. For those parts that intend to make the agreement from year 2000, the negotiations will be finalised when the national budget for 2000 is settled. “Those parts that involves national governmental financing shall be approved by the government and in some cases by the parliament”130.131 The government estimate that the first agreements can come into effect the first of January 2000 and run for three years, but first:
The government shall approve the growth agreements. Among the requirements that shall be fulfilled is that the measures that are financed by the agreements imply that the prerequisites for growth and employment are strengthened in the regions and that the efforts of the involved actors are well coordinated.132
The government points out that the agreements should regard the industry sector, equality between men and women and ecological aspects.133 In the proposition are also the universities and University College’s role in the regional development work emphasised, but they are not explicitly mentioned in the section that concerns the RTAs.134
4.1.2 The Regional Growth Agreement in Värmland
In May 1998 the government offered the CAB of Värmland to initiate, pursue and coordinate the work with a regional growth agreement. After discussing it in the “Värmlandsrådet” and the “regional partnership” the board of the CAB decided to accept the offer. The RTA of Värmland came to be called “Näringslivsinriktat arbete för värmländsk växtkraft” (in English, Business focused efforts for growth in Värmland).135
In the work with the RTA, the municipalities organised themselves in four groups; * One for the west of Värmland, comprised by Torsby, Sunne, Eda, Arvika, Årjäng och Säffle municipalities. * One comprised by Hagfors and Munkfors municipalities.
130 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 200 131 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 199 f 132 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 198 133 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 198 134 Proposition 1997/98:62, a.a. p. 193 f 135 Länsstyrelsen I Värmland, “Näringslivsinriktat arbete för värmländs växtkraft”, tillväxtprogram för Värmland, February 2000, preface
41 * One that crossed the county boarder for the east of Värmland with Filipstad, Storfors and Kristinehamns municipalities and Hällefors, Karlskoga and Degerfors municipalities in Örebro county. * One for the Karlstad region, including Karlstad, Forshaga, Grums, Hammarö and Kils municipalities.136
According to the RTA for Värmland, the organisation in municipality groups is based upon traditions of collaboration, which has been strengthened by the work with the Eu:s geographical target areas (in Swedish Målområden). The programmes were developed in these municipality groups in collaboration with local partnerships. The groups will come to play a substantial role in the implementation of the programme. The different programmes are different in alignment and stance of character and “does not constitute the sum of the participating municipalities ambitions and contributions, but focuses to different degrees on mutually suchlike, and express a will for collaboration.”137. The programmes of the municipality groups will be converted into projects and activities of collaboration.138
According to the writings in the agreement there was some expectations that was not fulfilled in the work;
Some participants, among others participants in the municipality groups, has had thoughts about that the governmental means after all would increase and be more beneficial in other ways and more flexible forms. A mutual judgement is that the flexibility of the means has not increased to any appreciable extent. The order of decision and mandates are also to an essential degree unchanged. It is possible that the ongoing investigation and preparation on the national level could lead towards a bigger flexibility. A mutual interpretation of the commission also implicated an expectation of a dialogue with the national government office. This has not been the case.139
According to the head of department for strategy and analysis, who worked in Karlstad municipality during the work with the RTA, the process of creating the agreement in Värmland did not work especially well, partly because Värmland was fragmented. But he
136 Länsstyrelsen i Värmland, “Näringslivsinriktat arbete för värmländs växtkraft” a.a. p. 9 f 137 Länsstyrelsen iVärmland, “Näringslivsinriktat arbete för värmländs växtkraft”, a.a. p. 10 138 Länsstyrelsen i Värmland, “Näringslivsinriktat arbete för värmländs växtkraft”, a.a. p. 10 139 Länsstyrelsen i Värmland, “Näringslivsinriktat arbete för värmländs växtkraft”, a.a. p. 9
42 continues that this was the case in many regions at the time. He also means that the work on the agreements was not so much associated with a process;
This work was not so much associated with a process, it was rather much some people that drove the issues. And an agreement was written, and I remember that…..it was a massive fight, dependent upon a multitude of reasons, one of them that we were four parts that would be put together in a programme, and another because of that is was very unclear what the prerequisites were…..It was really the national government that described the process in a very peculiar and strange way…140
The involved parts thought that they would have the possibility to affect the means in a more flexible way, but this was not the case;
Everyone thought that they could affect the county labor boards ( in swedish länsarbetsnämndernas) work, but then they realised that those money could not be touched because that was up to the labor office (in swedish arbetsmarknadsverket) to decide. So that was a little bit deceptive…141
The public servant at RV who has been responsible for the regional development programme, worked at “Miljöaktion Värmland” (which was linked to the CAB and the county council) at the time of the agreement, remembers that it was a bit of confusion regarding the agreements; if it was all about making an agreement with the state, and if there was money in it or not? 142 That the purpose of the agreements was somewhat unclear is something that many agree upon. The term “agreement” in itself was also misleading since it is associated with a binding document. It was in the processes with the agreements the “Partnership Värmland” was born, with representatives from spheres that was involved in the development work in the region.143 It was also the time when the ideas and the process of creating the RV emerged.144 The director of planning on the CAB experience was that it was a hard time, pervaded by power struggles:
140 Interview with head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland 141 Interview with head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland 142 Interview with public servant on Region Värmland, responsible for the regional development programme 143 Interview with head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland 144 Interview with the director of planning, County Administrative Board
43 …there was not really a mutual picture of what it (the agreements) was. And I think that many of the interpretations that were done and the signals that were sent out were too far-reaching; there was no clear receiver to get where it was thought. But what, according to me, was the hard part in the process was the power struggles, between the political Värmland and the country administrative board as an governmental authority and where some began to question if it was an national governmental task to drive regional development…145
The chairman of RV mean that the process was not as perfect as it could have been “…In the best of worlds there would be a broad process146 “. The chief executive of The Paper Province was not directly involved in the process of creating the RTA, but describes the work as “somewhat undemocratic”. He argues that it was a narrow group of involved in the “Värmlandsrådet” that developed the agreement and that it did not contributed to a mobilisation, since people did not feel included in the process.147 The head of department for strategy and analysis on RV describes how another part of the problem was that the target areas (that originated from the work with the structure funds) fragmented Värmland. The Karlstad region could not get a crown whilst the east group and the west group was a part of the goal 2 area, which implied that they could get pretty much money from the EU to carry out different development projects. Torsby municipality and parts of Hagfors municipality was a goal 1 area, which implied that they were seen as equivalent with the mostly poor parts of Europe. This was problematic and caused fragmentation since the agreement was all about identifying the least common denominator and mutual goals for a ten years period. Since the prerequisites were somewhat different the consequence became that Karlstad had to finance its own parts whilst Torsby got money from the EU. Another weakness with the agreement, was that there was no priorities done, it was a weak tool for priorities and the agreements looked somewhat the same in the whole of Europe. The respondent points out that the agreements in some senses could be described as a failure but that it was a first try, and that it then became better.148
145 Interview with the director of planning, County Administrative Board 146 Interview with the chairman of Region Värmland 147 Interview with the chief executive of The Paper Province 148 Interview with head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland
44 4.2 The Regional Growth Programmes and the Regional Development Programmes
I have chosen to present my empirical findings of the regional growth programmes and the regional development programmes in the same chapter since the process of creating the two programmes in Värmland, according to the respondents, has been somewhat similar.
4.2.1 The Intent of the Government with the Regional Growth Programmes
In the proposition “A Policy for Growth and Vitality in the Whole Country” the government presents a new policy area for the whole country, with the purpose to unite the regional policy with the regional industry policy into a “regional development policy”. The goal with the new politics is suggested to be functioning and sustainable local labour market regions with good levels of service in the whole country. The strategies and instruments in this work is an increased coordination between the sectors and regional considerations in different policy areas. The regional growth programmes, based upon the current regional growth agreements, is the foundation for this work. The aim with the new approach is to “fulfil stronger regions and municipalities, an increased knowledge and competence, stronger enterprises and a developed entrepreneurship, local development and attractive environments to live in and a good level of services.”149.150
According to the government all counties accepted the offer to make regional growth agreements. These agreements are considered to be the most important instrument in the coordination of efforts to strengthen the industrial development. The work should be seen as an ongoing process to increase the coordination between different actors –authorities, industry, municipalities and other central actors, to achieve mutual goals for how development is created within a region. The government concludes that the government didn’t contribute with any further means in the implementation of the agreements. The purpose was that existing means would be used in a more effective and creative way. The aim was that important actors as the industry sector, municipalities and county councils would be included in the partnership. Employment organisations, universities and local development groups are
149 “En politik för tillväxt och livskraft i hela landet”, proposition 2001/02:4, p. 1 150 ibid.
45 examples of groups that have been involved in the partnership around the country. The government concludes that the agreements have lead to a process of regional mobilisation around growth and regional development, and that no county wants to go back to the traditional form of work. The deficit in the process has been the horizontal perspective equality between women and men and the perspective of ecologically sustainable development. Another deficit has been that the governments role as a co-financier of the agreements has been somewhat unclear and that the regional level perceive that only solitary national and governmental authorities has been engaged in the work.151
The agreements were extended to year 2003. The next period should start 2004 and be labelled regional growth programmes instead. Despite the change of terms the programmes still had the same stance of policy: “to create sustainable prerequisites for development from without a local and regional perspective”152. The growth programmes should consist of “an analysis, goals and regional priorities for sustainable growth and a plan for how the efforts should be financed, implemented and evaluated. Analysis, goals and regional priorities shall…include a sustainable development perspective and a equality perspective”153. In the planning and implementation, besides actors from the regional development-, the industry-, the employment, the transport-, the culture- and integration policy areas, actors from the education- and the research policy area (that regards the development of innovation systems) should contribute. The problem the government see is still that the politics must be better on stimulating collaboration between different actors to make the measures more effective, since a strong divisions of sectors leads to “revirtänkande” (in English territorial thinking) and an ineffective use of resources. The RTAs and the RTPs is an important cornerstone in an aggregate national growth policy.154
Also the growth programmes should be managed by a partnership, but the partnership should consist of people from more spheres: as local and regional resource centre for women and the equality functions (in Swedish, jämställdhetsfunktion) of the CAB. The most important changes for the work on the programmes are mainly;
151 Proposition 2001/02:4, a.a. p. 28 ff 152 Proposition 2001/02:4, a.a. p. 115 153 Proposition 2001/02:4, a.a. p. 115 154 Proposition 2001/02:4, a.a. p. 115 ff
46 • From Agreements to Programmes: The reason for this change is partly that many participants perceive the term agreement as misleading since it is associated with a juridical binding document, and partly because that the government wants to emphasise the programmes as a tool for issues regarding regional development.155 • Municipal organs for cooperation can be responsible for the regional development: According to the proposition about regional coordination156 there will be possible for the municipalities to establish organs for coordination, starting year 2003. These will be responsible for the work and implementation of programmes for the counties development. They will also be responsible for the RTPs. This includes the responsibility to establish a broad abutment and alignment of the programme. • More explicit priorities and a increased demand on some governmental sectors contribution: The government wants to point out the importance of that the following policy areas are important for good preconditions for development in the whole country: Regional development, industry, employment, educational, transport, countryside, culture and the research policy that regard the development of innovation systems. The ambition is to develop a coherent policy for regional development where national sector goals and priorities in a systematic way consider the regions different preconditions. • The County Administrative Board gets a more explicit responsibility for the coordination of governmental sectors: The responsibility of creating regional growth programmes is transferred to the collaborative bodies if they are established in the counties. The CABs role is to act, from without a national governmental comprehensive perspective, on the regional level. The intent of the government is to refine the role of the CAB, to make it the governmental regional advocator with a clear responsibility towards the national government. They will act as a governmental advocator in the deliberation with the regional organs for cooperation concerning the programmes. Also the RTPs need to be approved of by the national-level government.157
156 The proposition is called Regional samverkan och statlig länsförvaltning, proposition 2001/02:7 157 Proposition 2001/02:4,, a.a. p. 116 ff
47 A new feature in the suggestion of regional growth programmes, that was not present in the proposition of regional growth agreements, is the term regional innovations systems, RIS. The government stresses the importance of that the efforts concerning the RTAs and the proposed regional growth programmes should be connected to the suggested programmes for innovation systems and clusters that are introduced in the proposition as well158. The government emphasise the recently delivered proposition159 concerning research and development and cooperation in the innovation system that account the principles concerning a development of research as motivated by requirements in the industry sector.160 The government also emphasises the universities and university colleges so called “third task” (the university should cooperate with the surrounding society), which was introduced in 1997. They stress that this cooperation generates mutual utility for the universities as well as the society and that the universities should integrate the cooperation task in research and education to a bigger extent.161
4.2.2 The Intent of the Government with the Regional Development Programmes
The regulations concerning the work on regional development programmes was first introduced in the ordinance about regional development work. The ordinance was the first of November in 2007 complemented by a National Strategy for Regional Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Employment. The ordinance was abolished in 2007 and replaced by the ordinance about regional work for growth.
In the first ordinance there were regulations concerning the work on regional development, regional development programmes, regional coordination between sectors and the authorities information in questions that involves regional development.162 The part that concerns the RUPs state that it is the regional autonomous body or the collaborative bodies that shall coordinate the work on regional development.163 In counties that lack these organs the CAB is responsible for the coordination.164 Responsible authority or organ shall compose a regional
158 Proposition 2001/02:4,, a.a. p. 163 159 Which is called FoU och samverkan I innovationssystemet, proposition 2001/02:2 160 Proposition 2001/02:4,, a.a. p. 163 161 Proposition 2001/02:4,, a.a. p. 36 162 Förordning (2003:595) om regionalt utvecklingsarbete, 1§ 163 Förordning (2003:595) a.a. 7 § 164 Förordning (2003:595) a.a.3§
48 development program, that is time-bounded, and which shall be the basis for the regional development work.165 According to the ordinance, the RUPs shall be designed so they constitute a basis for “collaboration between and within state- and municipal activities, and different programmes which together shall contribute to the fulfilment of the targets for the county’s or the regions development”166. The regional development programme shall emanate from an analysis of the prerequisites of the region and shall consider which possibilities there are to cooperate with other regions and counties, account the targets for the programme with regards to the targets that the parliament has established concerning the policy for regional development and other national targets.167 It is also stated in the ordinance that municipalities, county councils, the industry, organisations and concerned national authorities shall be involved in the work with the programme.168 When the RUP has been determined or changed, it shall be sent into the national government.169 It is also stated that the national authorities, in their own political activities, shall consider the RUPs and the RTPs.170
As stated above, the ordinance was abolished in 2007 and replaced by the ordinance concerning the work for regional growth. According to the ordinance the work for regional growth consists of, among other things, the elaboration and implementation of RUPs.171 A new formulation in the ordinance is a concretisation of which programmes that should be accommodated in to the programmes, these are regional structure funds, territorial programmes, RTPs and other relevant programmes.172 Guidance in the work for regional growth is, according to the new ordinance, the national strategy for competitiveness, entrepreneurship and employment 2007-2013 (henceforth called the national strategy).173
In the introduction to the national strategy we read that a basic requirement for sustainable regional development is “close cooperation between people, businesses, municipalities and authorities”174. The government has identified four national priorities in the strategy: Innovation and renewal, skills supply and improved workforce supply, accessibility and
165 Förordning (2003:595) a.a.8 § 166 Förordning (2003:595) a.a.12 § 167 Förordning (2003:595) a.a.13 § 168 Förordning (2003:595) a.a.14 § 169 Förordning (2003:595) a.a.17§ 170 Förordning (2003:595) a.a.18 § 171 Förordning (2007:713) om regionalt tillväxtarbete, 2§ 172 Förordning (2007:713) a.a.7§ 173 Förordning (2007:713) a.a.3§ 174 The Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, A National Strategy for Regional Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Employment 2007-2013, p. 4
49 strategic cross-border cooperation. Within the field of innovation and renewal the government highlights innovative environments and entrepreneurship as particular important and stress that “A successful interaction between research, business, the public sector and political institutions is a key requirement for effective innovative environments”175 and that “innovative environments are increasingly viewed as a basic requirement for innovations, innovation systems and clusters to appear, spread and develop”176. The local and regional levels are considered highly important for the development of innovation systems and clusters.177 From this view the national government argue that it is important that “each region should be given sufficient responsibility and authority to allow it to grow based on its own unique circumstances.”178 In the section of the national strategy that directly concerns the RUPs its stated that “the regional development programmes should form the basis for a dialogue between the national and regional levels on the key regional development issues”179 and that the responsible parties for the regional development programme (regional autonomous bodies, collaborative bodies or CABs) should make them an “ongoing process where commitment and winning political support are decisive”180. The process should also “be operated as a broad partnership of regional and local public players, industry, socioeconomic bodies and universities”181.
This was a presentation of how the national government intended that the RTPs and the RUPs would work and be carried out. Below follows a presentation of how the processes has been conducted and worked in Värmland.
175 The Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, a.a. p. 12 176 ibid. 177 ibid. 178 The Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, a.a. p. 4 179 The Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, a.a. p. 31 180 The Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, a.a., p.32 181 ibid.
50 4.2.3 The Regional Growth Programme and the Regional Development Programme in Värmland
As mentioned above (4.1.2), the process of creating RV started already in the in end of the 90´s. Despite of this, RV did not formally become a collaborative body until the first of January in 2007182. The chairman of RV describes the process of creating regional collaborative bodies and autonomous bodies as pressure from below to get together and create regions:
There was a growing demand from below to get together and create regions. And governments, independent upon who has ruled, have been quite hesitant to this. But of course, both the national government and the national parliament has felt a pressure from both the EU, that upraise issues from the national parliament to the EU-level, but they also feel the pressure, or the hitch, from below where they want to move decisive power from the national level to the regions.183
Since RV was not formally a collaborative body when the RTPs would be created, responsible authority for the RTP was the CAB, but RV was jointly responsible in the process of creating it. The programme is built upon the experiences from the work on the agreements and started with the yearly “Värmlandsmötet” in 2002, which is a broad set of partnership meeting. On this meeting, experiences were gathered from the preceding period and the importance of a broad abutment became clear. Steering-group has been an informal working-group (called Värmlandsrådets arbetsgrupp, VRAG), composed of people from the partnership.184 Members of VRAG is “Företagarna” (in English business associates), the Chamber of commerce, the CAB of Värmland, the County council in Värmland, Karlstad municipality, Karlstad university and RV.185
The RTP for Värmland is a broad programme and a strategic document, which shall work in a wide sense under which other programmes, as the structure funds, can be managed. The ambition with the growth programme has been to be an umbrella, under which other efforts in the region is managed, to make explicit sets of goals in order to increase the effectiveness of the efforts, to uplift the strive for coordination and increased mutual understanding in the
182 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board 183 Interview with the chairman of Region Värmland 184 Länsstyrelsen I Värmlands län och Region Värmland, “Hållbar Värmländsk växtkraft”, -Tillväxtprogram för Värmland 2004-2007, huvudrapport, p. 3 185 Länsstyrelsen I Värmlands län och Region Värmland, a.a. p. 23
51 county, to increase the competitiveness of national means and EU-means and to spread knowledge about what is done in order to create transparency.186
The work on the programme has been done according to the TAIDA-model. This model/ process is built upon five components: tracking, analysing, imaging, deciding and acting. According to the writings it has been a broad process where hundreds of persons have contributed: people from the municipal executive board, the industry, educational sphere, the non-profit making sector and to Värmland adjacent municipalities. The ITPS has previewed the programme and there have been possibilities for municipalities and other interested to give their view of the programme.187 The implementation of the programme is based upon a thought of decentralisation and a bottom-up perspective. The aim with the programme is that it shall be beneficial for business and peoples in Värmland and constitute a foundation for actors like the state and the EU in the interaction with the county. A guideline in the work has been explicitness and concretisation.188
The cooperation between the CAB and RV has worked well according to the respondents. The director of planning on the CAB describes the process:
…I had not considered that it would be such a big process…but it did, and the result was very good. These are things that now exists as experiences, that it is important to try to work in an extrovertly way with much dialogues and meeting because then an abutment and influx is created, which is hard to get otherwise….the power in a document like this is that many believes in it.189
The respondent feels that the broader process also resulted in a greater legitimacy since the programme did not give rise to any power struggles or conflicts. He thinks that this was dependent upon that people didn’t feel that the CAB had done it, but that they felt like they were a part of the process.190 The public servant at RV, which worked at RV at the time of the process, commends the CAB for their openness in the process and thinks that it was a good cooperation. It was RV suggestion that the process would be more explicit:
186 Länsstyrelsen I Värmlands län och Region Värmland, a.a p. 3 187 Länsstyrelsen I Värmlands län och Region Värmland, a.a p. 23 188 Länsstyrelsen I Värmlands län och Region Värmland, a.a. p. 23 f 189 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board 190 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board
52 Since the process of creating the agreements had been somewhat difficult, we suggested an explicit process…to work according to the TAIDA-model…in this model there is a thought about how to create participation but also a height in the analysis…191
The respondent thinks that one of the contribution reasons to why RV got such a big influence in the process was that it was known that they soon would apply for being a collaborative body, and that they then would be responsible for the programme.192 The head of department for strategy and analysis at RV, had his own enterprise during this time and was one of those that wrote the growth programme. He means that Värmland chose a somewhat different approach than in the agreement. The agreement was more pervaded by a top-bottom process whilst the programmes have been a bottom-up process:
…In order to involve as many person as possible, and we saw the process as a part of the goal and that we wouldn’t just get a paper product, but to create a process of mobilisation…193
The process of creating the RTP generated, according to the head of department for strategy and analysis at RV, to more explicit priorities. The process got attention nationally and Värmland was in 2004/2005 invited to be a pilot for the RUPs that was introduced. NUTEK, through twelve different authorities, was the leading authority for this pilot project.194 Many of the interviewed has described that the RTP in Värmland was “almost a regional development programme”195. According to the head of department for strategy and analysis this is because the RTP was much broader than it needed to be, it was not only about the development of the industry, it was also about peoples “will to live”196.
The assistant vice-chancellor for research at Karlstad University has offered the only somewhat problematic view on the process of the growth programme. She has done her own research, in cooperation with another scholar, concerning the networks that can be associated with the process of creating the growth programme. The problem was according to the
191 Interview with public servant on Region Värmland, responsible for the regional development programme 192 Interview with public servant on Region Värmland, responsible for the regional development programme, note that this process dragged on to 2007. 193 Interview with the head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland 194 Interview with the head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland 195 Interview with the director of planning, County Administrative Board 196 Interview with the head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland
53 respondent that the concern of gender issues was lost all the time during the process.197 This is also confirmed by the director of planning on the CAB that narrate that Värmland got critiqued for a lack of gender perspective in the RTP.198 The assistant vice-chancellor thinks that the process of creating the RUP has been better, especially from the perspective to include as many categories of people as possible. She thinks that it is a much broader support behind the RUP than the RTP. Despite that the process has been better she brings up a subject that is important to be aware about when discussing networking: “It is a manly tradition to work in networks like these...”199.
The chief executive at the Paper Province describes the process of developing the RTP for Värmland as very time-consuming and with a substantial number of meetings. He thinks that the result of the process was interesting, but saw the risk of that the document would be just “a document for the shelves”, which he to a certain degree thinks that it did. He also point out that the process could end in a numerous of ways dependent upon which persons that were involved. The respondent though feels that the process of creating the RUP has had a new, more systematic, visionary and long-term feature, and that it has reached “a new level”. He stresses that the process has been “more exciting” and thinks that the more strategic and systematic approach could mobilise around important fields of cooperation, as a joint view for research strategies in the county.200 All of the interviewed that are familiar with the work on the development programme finds the process of developing the regional development programme as broader than the growth programme and that the responsible actors has been good at gathering people and to inform about the work201. The assistant vice-chancellor thinks that the university has come to play a more prominent role in the process of creating the RUP since the university is more explicit an important part in the whole process, that the communication between the university and RV has been more straight forward and stresses that “now it feels like that it is more of a triple helix perspective in this”202. She points out that she perceive that much has happened the last three years and that one of the reasons for this might be that the university is more dependent upon its surroundings and that this might have lead to that the university is more willing to put energy into collaboration now than earlier. An
197 Interview with the assistant vice-chancellor for research, Karlstad University 198 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board 199 Interview with the assistant vice-chancellor for research, Karlstad University 200 Interview with the Chief Executive of The Paper Province 201 Interview with the assistant vice-chancellor for research, Karlstad University, the chairman of Region Värmland, the director of planning, county administrative board, the project leader of innovation support. 202 Interview with the assistant vice-chancellor for research, Karlstad University
54 important component in the collaboration between the triple helix actors that the assistant vice-chancellor brings up is communication. She means that Värmland is pretty immature for a university and that people is “scared” for people from the university. By being a part of processes and communicate with its surroundings, a confidence and mutual respect is created. The assistant vice-chancellor also thinks that it is important that the people that drive the process of creating the RUP, the centres of competences and the clusters are highly competent.203 The civil servant at RV that has been responsible for the process of creating the RUP for Värmland thinks that one of the reasons to why the cooperation has been so successful is that there is a history of cooperation. He argues that when the RTAs were introduced it was more problematic but that it has developed gradually.204
The head of department for strategy and analysis at RV describes how hundreds of people has been involved in the process. The only concern that the head of department for strategy and analysis sees with such a broad process, as that the regional development programme has brought on, is that people might get tired of the process and that certain interests might feel like they don’t get so much saying as they might have liked. He argues that it is a document for priorities and that it cannot inhabit all aspects.205
The director of planning on the CAB stress that the development towards better coordination and the development of clusters in the region has gained from the loss of the army regiment in 2004. The county governor got the assignment to come with suggestions on how to contribute to growth and development in Karlstads and Kristinehamns labour market regions. The money that was received as compensation was then used to support the clusters and centres of competence that was emerging and the term innovation system was getting more obvious.206 The chairman of RV also describes how the money that was received as compensating the loss of the army regiment really has “overfed” the system and that there now will be more difficult times. He though feels that the clusters are so strong that they will survive without more contributions from the public sector.207
203 Interview with the assistant vice-chancellor for research, Karlstad University 204 Interview with public servant on Region Värmland, responsible for the regional development programme 205 Interview with the head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland 206 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board 207 Interview with the chairman of Region Värmland
55 There is no steady contact between the RV and the national policy making arena. This connection is more sporadic and concerns some policy arenas. The public servant at RV argues that this is something that needs to be strengthened and organised.208 Concerning the role of the county administrative board in the RUP the director of planning argue that their role is not as explicit as it was earlier and that some of the legitimacy to be a part of some processes has decreased. Although they are still responsible for issues that regards the regional development work and:
...at the same time we still have the role as a coordinator for the state and manage the national governmental comprehensive view on the development in Värmland, which is a pretty tactful task in it self and I guess that one can discuss how well we do that…209
The respondent also discuss the thought of governance and the partnership Värmland that was created by the county governor composed by somewhat the same actors as “Värmlandsrådet” (VRAG, see the beginning of this chapter). This partnership would be an informal group that discussed what was going on and the aspiration was to get a comprehensive view of the work, which worked well according to the respondent. The partnership was involved in the RTP but during the process of the RUP the partnerships role has been somewhat more vague:
…when Region Värmland got the responsibility and became a collaborative body, since then there has not been a basic understanding for what Partnership Värmland was, it was more of “the politics is enough”. And I think that Partnership Värmland has had a vague existence during the 2007-2008… but it has been invited in some discussions concerning the regional development programme…210
This was a presentation on how the processes of creating the RTP and the RUP has been realised and perceived by the respondents. But what prospects and challenges are there in Värmland from a triple helix perspective? Below follows a presentation of the interviewee’s thoughts.
208 Interview with public servant on Region Värmland, responsible for the regional development programme 209 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board 210 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board
56 4.3 Triple Helix in the Värmland Region – Prospects and Challenges
It is apparent that the interviewed feels that the cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland has developed a lot the last decade. The Chief Executive of The Paper Province describes a “ketchup effect”; that the long process of collaboration really has given results the last year and he finds that the collaboration between the triple helix actors works “fantastic”.211 The head of department for strategy and analysis at RV describes the change in cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland:
The concept of the triple helix is alive in Värmland and this I can see since I was apart of this in the end of the 90´s and came back a year ago…I see that it is a big change. And I think that there is a multitude of reasons to this. One reason is that the process has been going on for a while, another is that the Karlstad municipality has been strong in Värmland and stepped forward and they take another responsibility…earlier it was all a gigantic zero-sum game, and then everyone realises that it is not a zero-sum game, one plus one can be three if you make wise decisions. And the creation of the university is an important factor...212
The director of planning on the CAB also feels that a lot has happened, that it has evolved a better dialogue and understanding of the research that is conducted at the university, for innovation systems and clusters. He also thinks that the OECD report was an important contribution to support the thoughts about endurance in the work for regional growth.213 The vice-chancellor at Karlstad University also describes how the thoughts of the “modern university” that is focused on a combination of academic quality, utility for the society, research and education, was strengthen by the recommendations in the OECD report. She also describes how the collaboration with the surroundings has been an integrated part in research and education at the University.214
Many of the interviewed from the university points out that the collaboration with the surroundings is important from a innovative perspective since the same person rarely is both a good scholar and entrepreneur, that it is important that the triple helix actors strengthen each
211 Interview with the Chief Executive of The Paper Province 212 Interview with the head of department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland 213 Interview with the director of planning, county administrative board 214 Interview with the vice-chancellor at Karlstad University.
57 other in their roles but that it is important that they keep their integrity and character215. According to the project leader of innovation support:
…The actors has been more explicit in their roles, and when they become more explicit in their roles they automatically become better and systemically there are not as many “overlaps” and double work or misunderstandings either, but accept that they have the possibility to be professional …216
A majority of the interviewed experience that the clusters and centres for competence has had an important impact on the collaboration between the actors and that they increase the prospects for innovations, growth and development in the region.217 The Chief Executive for The Paper Province thinks that the biggest gain from a cluster is that it puts the regional industry on the “national map”, e.g. that they improve the national policy makers knowledge about the regional industry, and that they create relationships and communication that creates mutual utility. The clusters could also make the cooperation between the university and industry more effective. One of the most important issues that the clusters promote is the provision of skills, here is the collaboration with the university of substantial weight, but the clusters also pursue their own research and development (in Swedish FoU).218 The project leader for innovation support also stress the positive impact that clusters may have on the climate of innovation by arguing that the contact with the enterprises becomes more effective. He also points out that clusters can be somewhat problematic from a holistic perspective of innovations: …It is the big corporations that control the clusters and this is not really good from an innovative perspective, because if these people cannot separate between their roles as chairman in a cluster and chairman for a large enterprise, this is not good. Because it is a huge difference between if they sit there to look after their own corporate interest or if they sit there to develop their branch of industry. And the crux is that most innovations come from the small enterprises. But if a small enterprise comes up with something that can be perceived as a threat against the
215 Interview with the project leader for innovation support, Karlstad University, the assistant vice-chancellor, and vice-chancellor at Karlstad University 216 Interview with the project leader for innovation support 217 Interview with the project leader for innovation support, the director of planning on the county administrative board, the civil servant at Region Värmland, the vice-chancellor at Karlstad University, the head of strategy and analysis at Region Värmland, the assistant vice-chancellor at Karlstad University and the chairman of Region Värmland, project leader one shop stop, Karlstad University. 218 Interview with the Chief Executive for The Paper Province
58 heavy corporations work…the large enterprises could destroy a lot of things, and that they often do…
Also the assistant vice-chancellor argues that the risk with clusters as well as other thoughts, like governance, e.g. monotonous thoughts, could become a threat towards the innovation spirit. She also believes that the leaders of the competence centres are aware of the egoism that is present in the branch, which implies that the enterprises does not want that anyone else should come up with something new.219
Another challenge for the innovative system in Värmland is according to the project leader for innovation support that the banks in Värmland, with maybe one exception, don’t know venture capital and start-up business, which is a basic requisite for innovations. He stresses that “…Google would never have survived in Värmland” and thinks that the lack of knowledge about venture capital will generate that a couple of big cases will fall out of Värmland. Although, he thinks that this competence and insight will come gradually, and it is a work in process. For example the happening “Eventure”, which is the biggest meeting in Sweden between start-up cases and investors, and the banks in the county are invited to this event. Innovation support is about the outflow of innovative ideas from the university. And the project leader argue that the incubator Inova, that was dysfunctional six to seven years ago, now has developed to an well functioning business incubator.220 This is something that also the Chief Executive stresses, and he also thinks that it is beneficial from an innovation system perspective that it now days is an “open incubator”, e.g. not only for the university.221
Another aspect of the collaboration between the university and the industry is the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contacts with the university, from an inflow perspective. The director of planning on the CAB stresses:
..What is lacking and always is discussed is the SMEs and their contacts with the university and that they have a hard time finding “a way in”…there has been like a moat or a dividing wall between the two worlds. But here they work with “one stop shops” now, to make it more easily…222
219 Interview with the assistant vice-chancellor, Karlstad University 220 Interview with the project leader for innovation support, Karlstad University 221 Interview with the Chief Executive for The Paper Province 222 Interview with director of planning, county administrative board
59 These one stop shop solution was introduced in the OECD report and became a project at Karlstad University in October 2007. The project is financed by VINOVA for eight years ahead and after this the university plane to integrate the efforts into their own organisation. The purpose with a one stop shop is to facilitate the connection between SMEs and the university. This thought is based on that that the collaboration between the university and the SMEs has been somewhat problematic. The project leader of one stop shop thinks that the internal bureacracy and the academic language are two of the most hindering aspects concerning the collaboration between SMEs and the university. The aim with the project is that the collaboration between SMEs and the university will be more easy and effective. Since the start in October 26 enterprises has contacted the one stop shop, enterprises that did not have any collaboration with the university earlier.223 The internal organisational structure is something that the assistant vice-chancellor thinks may be problematic in the collaboration with the surroundings, and points out that this is an internal as well as external process. But she point out that the leadership in this regard has been much more explicit.224 A possible threat for the university and the region as a whole, that many of the respondents225 stress, is the research politics that is being pursued on the national level. The vice-chancellor describes the discussion:
…it is called the proposition for research and innovations, so it should include two perspectives….it is a good investigation which raise the utility that collaboration may generate, but the criteria for allocation of research resources is mostly focused on academic quality, there is no criteria for quality in collaboration. And then they say at the ministry of education…that quality is only being used for academic quality, they don’t use quality to measure utility or relevance for the society. And this they could do if they wanted, but they don’t…and then they have the idea that a high quality in the academy automatically will generate innovations, but the problem with this view is that the same persons rarely are both entrepreneurs and great scholars, so one needs to think in two systems…226
The vice chancellor has benchmarked her thoughts to the ministries it concerns (industry and education) and she has also pointed out that it is important that the ministries collaborates in
223 Interview with the project leader for One stop shop, Karlstad University 224 Interview with the assistant vice-chancellor, Karlstad University 225 Interview with the vice-chancellor and the assistant vice-chancellor, Karlstad University, The chairman of Region Värmland, and the chief executive of The Paper Province 226 Interview with the vice-chancellor, Karlstad University
60 this question and that the work will not be distinguished by sectorial fragmentation. This was also a recommendation in the OECD report. The ministry of industry regards that the universities collaboration with the surroundings should be a criterion for allocation of resources. On the question if the ministry of education has paid attention to this the vice- chancellor answers “we haven’t seen that yet, they are secretive too, but it sounded as they had paid attention to each other on the discussion yesterday.227” The proposition is expected to come in October so the result will probably not be clear until then.228 The Chief Executive also regards this as a central question. He stresses that the cooperation between the university and the industry is dependent upon geographical adjacent, this implies that the collaboration between the academy and the industry would be difficult if there would be a few “elite- universities” (as suggested by Anders Flodström, the governmental investigator).229 Another question regarding the national government, that concerns the role of RV, regards how the government will treat the “ansvarsutredning” (see 1.1. choice of subject and research issue) that has been conducted and handed to the government. Many of the respondents has described the asymmetrical structure in Sweden and discussed that this disorder of actors and structures may obstruct a proper coordination of the governmental resources and economic growth.230
227 Interview with the vice-chancellor, Karlstad University 228 Interview with the vice-chancellor, Karlstad University 229 Interview with the Chief Executive of The Paper Province 230 Interview with the chairman of Region Värmland, The director of planning on the county administrative board, the head of strategy and analysis on region Värmland
61 5. ANALYSIS
In order to answer my research questions I will in this chapter analyse my empirical findings from the concept of the triple helix and multi-level governance. The analysis is disposed according to the following approach: First, I analyse the work on the RTAs in relation to the taxonomy of different forms of relationships according to 1) The intent of the government 2) The regional action. I will here also analyse if there has been any vertical or horizontal fragmentation of the institutions that has been perceived as disturbing in the cooperation. Secondly, I analyse the work on the RTP and the RUP in relation to the taxonomy of different forms of relationships according to 1) The intent of the government 2) The regional action. I will also analyse if there has been any vertical or horizontal fragmentation of the institutions that has been perceived as disturbing in the cooperation. Thirdly, I will analyse the prospects and challenges for Värmland from the matrix for analysing regional development processes. Fourthly, I will end with an analysis of whether it is possible to see different forms of fragmentations as the forms of cooperation changes.
5.1 The Regional Growth Agreement
It is obvious that the proposition concerning the RTA is based upon a consciousness of that sectoral fragmentation may lead to an ineffective use of recourses, which may hinder economic growth. It is also apparent that the national government considered this fragmentation as problematic from a national industry policy point of view when they argue that it is important to increase the coordination between the sectors both on the national and the regional level in order to increase the prospects for growth. When we read the purpose with and the “instructions” for the RTAs the picture of what is being expected is somewhat unclear. When we read “the purpose is to accomplish a better collaboration” between the involved actors, this rhetoric could be associated with “Integration” as category of relationship, that is that the government advocates integration between the involved actors. But when it comes to the question of how the RTAs will be pursued the rhetoric is somewhat different. Here we read that the county administrative board is responsible for the agreements and that they should invite the partnership to contribute. We also reed that the agreements should “open up for a mutual opportunity for central and regional actors to get deeper insights in each others work”. The government also states that the actors efforts needs to be “well coordinated” in order to get the agreement approved by the government. These formulations
62 imply less involved forms of relationship. Whilst the rhetoric concerning the purpose with the agreement was characterised by “integration” this rhetoric is more pervaded by “coordination” as category of relationship. What type of relationship that is being advocated is really not that obvious, it could be interpreted as any of the three in the category “coordination”, the intents of the government is not so clear.
Concerning how the work on the RTAs was perceived on the regional level we could conclude that it did not work especially well. The respondents all feel that it was “not so much associated with a process”, that it was “undemocratic” and done by a “narrow group of actors” that “drove the issues”. When it concerns the lack of processing we can conclude that the government, according to the part that concern the agreements in the proposition, did not advocate any process. When it comes to the perceived problems of fragmentation, they are both horizontal and vertical. The proposition emphasise the importance of “better collaboration” between the local, regional and national levels. According to my findings this did not happened and the regional level was not satisfied with the dialogue with the national government office. We could also conclude that all the misinterpretations concerning the agreement could be interpreted as evidence for that the communication between the national and the regional level was not really developed, but one factor could also be that the governmental intentions was somewhat unclear. These misinterpretations concerned both the terminology being used, it was no mutual picture of what the term “agreement” referred to, but it was also misinterpretations concerning the financial parts of the agreement.
When it comes to the geographical limits of the agreements it is according to the proposition a decision for the involved parts. In the Värmland case the county was organised into four groups. This has been perceived as problematic and has been hindering collaboration in the region. The cause to this fragmentation was economical interests and power struggles. This fragmentation was problematic when mutual goals and priorities would be settled. The collaboration between the municipalities is stated in the somewhat vague formulation that the different programmes “ does not constitute the sum of the participating municipalities ambitions and contributions but focuses to different degrees on mutually suchlike, and express a will for collaboration”. This formulation could be interpreted as that the work on the RTA has not been distinguished by collaboration, rather by some form of “coordination” as category of relationship. The proposition also emphasise the importance of decentralisation in the decision-making. When interpreting the respondents’ answers it is obvious that the local
63 politicians were not satisfied with the decentralisation of the decision-making concerning the RTA. The director of planning narrates how the process was pervaded by power struggles between the county administrative board and the “political Värmland”. The proposition further suggests that the agreements should work as “a instrument to in an optimal way take advantage of the resources”. According to the head of strategy and analysis on RV, the agreement was a weak tool for priorities.
5.2 The Regional Growth Programme and the Regional Development Programme
In the proposition concerning the RTPs we see a somewhat new rhetoric. The importance of regional innovation systems, a “process-thinking” and research that is motivated by requirements in the industry are being advocated, terms that was absent in the work on the agreements. This is more of a triple-helix thinking than was being pursued at time of the RTAs. So how has this new features affected the relationships between the triple helix actors?
In the proposition concerning the RTPs, the national government still advocates that an increased collaboration between different actors is needed in order to make the measures more effective. The work on the RTP should now bee seen as “an ongoing process” in order to increase the coordination between different actors to achieve mutual goal for how development is created. The partnership should be broader in the process of the agreements and the partnership gets a more explicit role here, from to be invited to the process, the RTP should be managed by a partnership. It is also possible for collaborative bodies to be responsible for the regional growth programmes, in counties where these have been established. The importance of a “broad abutment and alignment” is also advocated. The rhetoric in the directions of the RTP is still that collaboration is desirable, but this time the national government also advocates a broader process and abutment. The national government has in this phase decentralised decisive-power from the county administrative board to collaborative bodies. The category of relationship that is being advocated here can be described as “Integration” in accordance to the taxonomy. This is mainly because the work is advocated to be “an ongoing process” and could thus be characterised as “joint venture” and the fact that collaborative bodies are allowed, which could be characterised as “satellite” according to the different types of relationships.
64 In the ordinances that concern the RUP it is stated that the RUPs should constitute a basis for “collaboration between and within state- and municipal activities…”. The rhetoric is somewhat the same except that the RUPs are broader than the RTPs. In the national strategy the rhetoric is even more pervaded of triple helix thinking. It is stated in the introduction to the strategy that “close cooperation between people, business, municipalities and authorities” is a basic requirement for sustainable regional development. The national government also stress that; “a successful interaction between research, business, the public sector and political institutions is a key requirement for effective innovative environments”, and that an innovative environment is viewed as a basic precondition for “innovations, innovation systems and clusters to, appear, spread and develop”. Also the RUP should be an ongoing process, and commitment and political support is viewed as decisive. What also differs the RUP from the RTP and the RTA is that the universities role is more explicit. The universities has been involved in the processes before but their participation has not directly been stated in the proposition of the RTAs or the RTP, at least not as co-actors in the process of developing the agreement/programme. These formulations can be interpreted as “Increasing closeness and mutual involvement” as category of relationship that is being advocated on the regional level. This is since an ongoing process is being advocated, but also a deeper interaction and close cooperation between the triple helix actors.
It is obvious that all of the respondents perceived the process of developing the RTP in a more positive way then the work on the RTA. One of the reasons to this has been that the process was more including and that Värmland was no longer fragmented in four groups. The 16 municipalities had now mobilised themselves into an informal collaborative body (RV) which was “jointly responsible” with the CAB. This cooperation between the actors can be considered to have over-bridged the earlier fragmentation between the municipalities and between the municipalities and the CAB. The model that was being used can be considered as a tool against fragmentation, since it is built upon a thought of decentralisation and a bottom- up perspective. Despite of the broadened process, the explicitness that was lacking in the growth agreements has been a guideline. The respondents stress the importance of working extrovertly with a lot of dialogues and meetings. As two of the respondents argued the problem with a broad process like this may be that people get tired of it, but according to my findings it seems like most of the people was satisfied. The process could be described as mobilising, and as one of the respondents said “the power in a document like this is that many believes in it”. That Värmland was invited to be a pilot for the RUP, could also be a sign of
65 that the process was successful in relation to a national context. Two of the respondents have discussed a problematical view of these processes, the concern of which actors that are a part of the process. The assistant vice-chancellor discussed that working in networks like this is a manly tradition and the chief executive for The Paper Province discussed that what comes out from a process like this is dependent upon who is involved. The chief executive also describes that he percept the document to some degree as a “document for the shelves”. Since RV was not formally a collaborative body at the time of the RTA and since the CAB was formally responsible for the process the process could be described as “integration”. When I categorise the cooperation as “integration” it is the cooperation between the RV and the CAB regarding the RTP I refer to. The cooperation could be described as “joint-venture” since this includes “long-term joint planning and joint working on project core to the mission of at least one participating entity”. Since the RTP was indeed the CABs formal responsibility, the process to develop the RTP could be characterised as this type of relationship. With regard to my findings there are no clear evidence of vertical multi-level governance problems that has made the cooperation between the triple helix actors difficult. But there are neither any findings that suggest that there has been a well functioning collaboration between the national and the regional level.
According to my findings concerning the RUP, this process has been even better than the work on the RTPs. The RV has during the work on the programme been a formal collaborative body, which could be described as a “satellite” for the municipalities (a separate entity, jointly-owned created to serve as integrative mechanism). The process of the RUP is perceived as positive, no problematic views have been expressed. The respondents describe the process as “more exciting”, “more visionary and strategic” and that “now it feels like that it is more of a triple helix perspective in this”. The university has come to play a more prominent role, which according to the assistant vice-chancellor could depend on that the university has been more dependent upon its surroundings and because of this more anxious to put energy into collaboration. According to my findings an important factor could also be that the universities role is more explicit expressed in the national strategy than it has been in the earlier propositions concerning the RTA and the RTP. The history of cooperation and “the ketchup effect” could also be an explanation to why the cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland is perceived as “fantastic” and “alive” by the respondents. The leadership has also been discussed as a central question in this regard. The head of department for strategy and analysis thinks that the Karlstad municipality has “been strong in Värmland” and
66 stepped forward to “take another responsibility”. That the RUP has been more systematic, strategic and long-term could, according to the chief executive of The Paper Province, create mobilisation around important fields of cooperation, as a joint view of research strategies in the county. I think that it is reasonable to characterise the cooperation between the triple helix actors as “Increasing closeness and mutual involvement”. The definition of this relation is a “long-term planning and working on issues core to the mission of at least one of the participating identity”.
According to my findings there is no obvious fragmentation between the triple helix actors on the regional level that could be considered as damaging the cooperation. The concern is the collaboration between the regional level and the national policymakers. Here it might be important to notice that RV does not have a steady communication with the national government and that it is a consciousness of that this needs to be strengthened. The director of planning argues that it is a “pretty tactful task” to manage the national governmental comprehensive view on the development in Värmland and that it can be “discussed” how well they actually do that. Many of the respondents have discussed the educational policymaking that is conducted. The discussion concerns mainly the suggestion of a few “elite-universities” and the criteria for allocation of research resources. The respondents perceive this as a threat to the regional development. With a few elite-universities the collaboration between the triple helix actors becomes problematic. If the criteria’s for allocation of resources is based only on academic quality, not on qualities based upon collaboration with the surroundings this might get problematic from a regional perspective. The vice-chancellor at Karlstad University has stressed the importance of that it is important that the ministries collaborates around these issues. The result will come in October 2008 so first then it will be possible to answer the question of whether the process is distinguished by vertical fragmentation. If the ministries have collaborated in the work on the national level there is no evidence of sectoral fragmentation, and Karlstad University, and the region as a whole, would gain from a triple helix perspective. If the educational ministry has not paid attention to what the ministry of industry and the vice-chancellor has said there is evidently a vertical fragmentation as well as a horizontal fragmentation on the national level, which may disturb the cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland. The problems that is being discussed here is a sign of what Koschatzky describes when he argues that the problems with multi-level governance relationships are the regional side effects of non-regional policies.
67 An important aspect in the development of clusters and centres of competence in Värmland, which also has affected the possibilities for cooperation in Värmland is the money that was received from the state when Värmland lost the army regiment in 2004. The money was invested in the clusters and centres of competence, and the term innovation system was emerging in the county. This could be related to what is said about the regional prerequisites for cooperation (see 3.2.1 Different forms of cooperation). The capacity of the region to make collaborative actions is dependent upon the economic strength of the region. It is not unreasonable to believe that the cooperation between the triple helix actors has been strengthened by this economic contribution.
5.3 Triple Helix in The Värmland Region –Prospects and Challenges
It seems like that the cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland, at present, is characterised by increasing closeness and mutual involvement. A lot has happened in Värmland since the OECD-report was conducted. The director of planning on the CAB thinks that the report was a positive contribution since it supported the thoughts about endurance in the regional development work that were already exciting in the county. The report also strengthened the thoughts of the “modern university”, and gave rise to the “one stop shop” and “innovation support” at Karlstad University. The project will make the cooperation between the university and the SMEs more effective, a relationship that earlier has been somewhat difficult. There are a lot of efforts in the region concerning cooperation and regional growth and development. But how could the present situation be described from Etzkowitz model of knowledge-based development?
The Värmland region has created a “room of knowledge”. This implies a concentration of science and development to a certain geographical areas and that the university, the public sector and the industry create loosely connected mutual relations to encourage technological innovations. It is also important to have a leadership that supports new initiatives. The money that was received to compensate the loss of the army regiment, since the money was put into the clusters and centres of competence, has most likely promoted the creation of a “room of knowledge”. That Karlstad municipality has been strong in Värmland the last few years and that RV now exists could also be seen as positive, from this perspective.
68 The increased closeness and mutual involvement that has evolved during the processes of the agreement and the programmes is a basic prerequisite for a “room of consensus”. The room of consensus is an arena for mutual relations between the triple helix actors and the purpose is that the different perspectives should create new strategies and ideas. This is what the process of creating the regional development programme has been all about. According to my findings the Värmland region has created “a room of consensus”. In the “room of consensus” the possible source to economic and social development becomes an actual source to development.
The most problematic aspects for Värmland to create “a room of innovations” are the lack of venture capital. The project leader on innovation support argues that the banks in Värmland do not know start-up business and venture capital as he expressed it “google would never have survived in Värmland”. This is a challenge for the innovation system in Värmland, but it is also a challenge to reach the “room of innovations”. When it comes to which persons that is in the room of innovations it is important that these persons are from the different spheres, that they are trustworthy and have the ability to make decisions. Concerning that they need to be trustworthy it could be important to have in mind what the project leader of innovation support stress concerning clusters. He argue that clusters could be viewed as problematic from a perspective of innovations since the large corporations that control the clusters could destroy new innovations if they are perceived as a threat, and that this also occurs. The question concerning venture capital is thus a very important issue for the Värmland region to solve, to enable Värmland to enter the “room of innovations”.
5.4 Cooperation and the Fragmentation of the Institutional Setting
Concerning the question whether it is possible to see different forms of fragmentations as the kind of cooperation changes, my findings suggest that a triple helix cooperation could decrease the fragmentation of the institutional setting. It seems like that the mobilisation is a central concern. In the case of Värmland the development of, and the mobilisation around, the programmes has decreased the horizontal fragmentation on the regional level that was present during the work on the RTA. My findings also suggest that the issues of power and legitimate leadership are important components of mobilisation towards a triple helix cooperation. The horizontal fragmentation during the RTA could be described as dependent upon that the actors
69 on the regional level did not find the leadership legitimate and this generated a power struggle instead of a functioning cooperation and mobilisation. When decisive-power gradually has been transmitted to the regional actors, the cooperation and mobilisation has also changed gradually to the better.
Concerning the vertical fragmentation there was a clear lack of cooperation between the national and the regional level during the work on the RTA. It seems like this relationship could almost not even be described as coordination, there was not even enough of dialogue to get a common view of what the RTAs really was all about. When the regional level and the CAB mobilised themselves around the RTPs there was no equally apparent problem. This also leads us to believe that issues of power could be involved in the cause of fragmentation. When the regional level more explicit was involved in the work there was not equally apparent vertical fragmentation problems. During the work on the RUP, when the regional collaborative body has been responsible for the work it seems like the mobilisation around the growth and development issues has evolved even more. But maybe it is possible to draw the conclusion that the vertical fragmentation to a great degree remains. At present the RV has no organisational structure that supports the communication with the national government. And the concern of that the ministry of education will not consider the regional consequences in their national policymaking leads us to believe that the vertical fragmentation remains, and that there also exists a horizontal fragmentation at the national governmental level (since the ministries maybe don’t even considerate each other). According to my findings the vertical fragmentation problems has not made the cooperation between the regional triple-helix actors more difficult during the RTP and RUP, and the proposition that is expected in October 2008 will tell us if this fragmentation will be a problem soon.
This leads us to the conclusion that the horizontal fragmentation may decrease as the kind of cooperation between the actors on the horizontal level becomes stronger. The vertical fragmentation seems to have remained, but the problems have so far not been so problematic as during the RTA. But an increased coordination between the national and regional level would probably improve the triple-helix cooperation both on the regional level but also concerning the functioning of the national innovation system.
70 6. Conclusion and Concluding Discussion
In this chapter I present my conclusions drawn from the analysis conducted above. I will also end the thesis with a concluding discussion where I put my findings in a wider context by discussing them in relation to previous research within the field and discuss the relevance of my findings and which theoretical comprehensions that could be drawn from my study.
6.1 Conclusion
The cooperation between the university, public sector and industry in Värmland has evolved gradually during the last decade and the processes of developing the RTA, RTP and RUP. From to have been pervaded by both horizontal and vertical fragmentation during the work on the RTA, where the process was not even a process but a work done by a quite narrow group of actors, to a broaden ongoing process where the institutional horizontal fragmentation has been over-bridged by a mobilisation and increased closeness and mutual involvement around the RUP. The only concern is the vertical fragmentation that to a great degree seems to have remained. From my findings it is possible to draw the conclusions that issues of power and a legitimate leadership pervaded the horizontal fragmentation of the institutional setting during the work on the RTA. When decisive-power concerning the work on regional growth and development gradually has been decentralised to the regional actors the mobilisation around these issues has opposed the horizontal fragmentation. Although there is no evidence of that the increased cooperation on the regional level has decreased the vertical fragmentation between the national and regional level, which to a great degree seems to remain. The Värmland region seems to have developed increasing closeness and mutual involvement between the triple helix actors and developed both a “room of knowledge” and a “room of consensus”. The challenge for the triple helix actors in Värmland is to fill in the gaps in the innovative environment in order to develop a “room of innovations”. This requires increased supply of venture capital in the region.
6.2 Concluding Discussion
What seems to have been a factor of success behind the cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland is that the decisive-power has been decentralised but also that the process of evolving the RTP and the RUP has been pervaded by a bottom-up perspective which has been involving and mobilising. When Norell discusses the complexity in the process of evolving a RUP he argues that it shall work both as a tool for priorities and be an instrument
71 for mobilisation. It seems like the biggest concern from a triple-helix perspective is that the process is mobilising. Regarding the RUP as a tool for priorities from a triple-helix perspective the evolvement of common strategies for growth and development is an important variable to reach “the next level” e.g. when the cooperation becomes an actual source to development. My findings also strengthen Christensens and Kempinskys thesis that “soft variables” as social capital and history is important factors in the work for regional growth and development. Many of the respondents have argued that the cooperation facilitates by experiences and a mutual history. Braun argues that informal means are important in the process of enabling policies. The formal cooperation is most likely generating informal relations and social capital, which facilitates the cooperation between the triple helix actors. That history matters in this context are also strengthen in Jensen and Trädgårdhs article where they conclude that triple helix is hard to implement where there is no tradition of cooperation. They also argue that the work on regional development could cause tensions between the national and regional level. This tension is very obvious in the Värmland case at present. The tension concerns the forthcoming proposition regarding innovations and research and the worry is that the national policymakers will not take the region in consideration. Whether the ministry of education has taken the ministry of industry and the region into consideration will be apparent when the proposition is presented in October 2008. And the process of developing this proposition could be interesting for further research within the field triple helix and multi- level governance problems.
That the process of developing an innovation system in Sweden, as argued by Marton, is highly complex is definitely strengthen by my findings. Marton also discusses the problem of the powerful roles that are given to unelected bureaucrats (that have powerful roles in the planning of structural funds). This problem is also a matter of concern when discussing governance in the regional development work. The idea of governance creates difficulties in issues of accountability since a lot of power is transmitted to bureaucrats and civil servants. But the issue that was raised by the assistant vice-chancellor is also a matter of concern –that networking is a manly tradition. This is especially interesting since the gender issues were lost all the time in the RTP. The issue that evolves from this reasoning is: who controls the agenda in the regional development work? This needs to be discussed and further investigated.
Concerning which theoretical advancement my finding could yield there are primarily two contributions to the study of triple helix in practice. The first aspect is the relevance of issues
72 of power. The fragmentation between the institutions and actors during the work on the RTA was pervaded by power struggles and lack of cooperation. Different institutional interests did not think that it was a governmental task to handle regional growth and development issues. The concept of the triple helix stress the importance of a leadership that support new ideas, but it seems like that there also needs to be a legitimate leadership as well, in order to get the mobilisation that is needed. The second aspect concerns cluster as promoters of an innovative milieu. My findings suggest that there might be some problems with clusters from a perspective of innovations. It should be emphasised that my findings suggests that these problems could arise, not that that they empirically do it in Värmland. This needs some further investigations.
Also the role of the political institutions could be discussed. Does institutions matter? My findings suggest that the policies of the national government have been central in the regional work and mobilisation around these issues. The cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland seems to have increased as the decentralisation in decisive-power of regional growth and development has increased. A central issue is how the government now will treat the “ansvarskommiténs” investigation that concerns a possible division into formal regions, questions about divisions of responsibility and the political structure in Sweden. The result of this investigation will change the preconditions for the regions work on growth and development and the prospects for the cooperation between the triple helix actors. Another institutional factor that seems to be important for the prerequisites for cooperation is the internal structure of the university. The university of Karlstad has a vision of being “a modern university” and the fact that the academy has become more dependent upon its surroundings has increased the will of the institution to cooperate with its surroundings. The rising of the projects “innovation support” and “one stop shop” could be seen as examples of how the university is adapting its organisation to the new needs in society. Finally it should also be mentioned that the fact that the collaboration between the triple helix actors at present seems to be pervaded by increased closeness and mutual involvement does not imply that things couldn’t be better or that the triple helix actors could be “safe”. This has been, and will continue to be an ongoing process.
73 REFERENCES
Literature: 6, Perry, “Joined-up Government in the Western world in Comparative Perspective: A Preliminary Literature Review and Exploration”, Journal of Public Administration Research Theory, 2004, pp. 103-138
Andersson, M., Karlsson, C., “Regional Innovation Systems in Small & Medium-sized Regions –A Critical Review and Assesment”, in Johansson, B., Karlsson, C. & Stough, R.R. (eds.) The Emerging Digital Economy: Enterpreneurship, Clusters and Policy, Springer – Verlag, Berlin, 2006
Asheim, T, B., Coenen, L.,“Contextualising Regional Innovation Systems in a Globalising Learning Economy: On Knowledge Bases and Institutional Frameworks”, Journal of Technology Transfer, 31: 163-173, 2006
Burnham, P., Gilland, K., Grant, W., Layton-Henry, Z., Research Methods in Politics, Palgrave macmillian, New York, 2004
Christensen, L., Kempinsky, P. (red.), Att mobilisera för regional tillväxt, Studentlitteratur, Lund, 2004
Cooke, P., Leydesdorff, L., “Regional Development in the Knowledge-Based Economy: The Construction of Advantage”, Journal of Technology Transfer, 31: 5-15, 2006
Dahlgren, B., Det är inte lätt att fatta galoppen med RTP, Forthcoming
Edler, J., et.al. “New Governance for innovation -The Need for Horizontal and Systematic Policy Co-ordination”, Report on a Workshop, Fraunhofer ISI Discussion Papers Innovation System and Policy Analysis, No 2/2003, Karlsruhe, June 2003
Erikson, M., Karlsson, D., Bäck, H., Rombach, B., “Lokalt politiskt ledarskap I en konstitutionell brytningstid”, Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift, årg. 109, nr 2, 2007, pp. 138-141
Esaiasson, P., Gilljam, M., Oscarsson, H., Wängnerud, L., Metodpraktikan –Konsten att studera samhälle, individ och marknad, Nordstedts Juridik AB, tredje upplagan, Vällingby, 2007
Etzkowitz, H., Trippelhelix –Den nya innovationsmodellen, SNS Förlag, Stockholm, 2005
Peterson, O., Statsbyggnad –Den offentliga maktens organisation, SNS Förlag, fjärde upplagan, Stockholm, 2003
Hill, M., Policyprocessen, Liber AB, Kristianstad, 2007
Holmberg, K., Det kallas kärlek, Anamma förlag, Göteborg, 1993
74 Jensen, C., Trägårdh, B. (2004), “Narrating the triple Helix concept in weak regions: Lessons from Sweden”, International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 27, No. 5, pp. 513- 530
Kitagawa, F., “Universities and Regional Advantage: Higher Education and Innovation Policies in English Regions”, European Planning Studies, Vol. 12, No. 6, September 2004, pp. 835-852
Koschatzky, K., “Foresight as a Governance Concept at the Interface between Global Challenges and Regional Innovation Potentials”, European Planning Studies, Vol. 13, No. 4, June 2005, pp 620-639
Koschatzky, K., “Knowledge-based regional development -Governance concepts at the interface between global challenges and regional innovation potentials”, April 2004 (With permission of the author).
Lindh, M., Miles, L., Räftegård, C., Lödén, H., “Understanding Regional Action and the European Union –A Fusion Approach”, Karlstad University Studies, 2007:41 p. 14 ff
Marsh, D., Stoker, G., Theory and Methods in Political Science, Palgrave macmillian, Second Edition, New York, 2002
Marton, S., “Innovation and National Policy-Making: Political efforts to reform Swedish research policy to meet the needs of innovation policy”, 1996-2007
Marton, S., “Kluster och innovationssystem”, Second opinion on the regional development programme “Värmland växer”, Karlstad University, 2008-05-14, unpublished
Norell, P-O., “Synpunkter på governance”, Second opinion on the regional development programme “Värmland växer”, Karlstad University, 2008-05-14, unpublished
Pierre, J., “Democratic Government and the Challenge of Governance”, Statsvetenskaplig tidskrift, årg. 109, nr 2, 2007, pp. 150-155
Ragin, C.C., et.al. “Political Methodology: Qualitative Methods”, in Goodin, E. R., Klingemann, H-D., A New Handbook of Political Science, Oxford University Press, 2000
Smith, A., “Multi-level governance: What It Is and How It Can Be Studied”, in Peters, G., Pierre, J., Handbook of Public Administration, Sage Publications, 2003
Tallberg, J., EU:s politiska system, Studentlitteratur, Lund, 2001.
Van Vught, F., Garlick, S., Nordström, L., Yelland, R., Supporting the Contribution of Higher Education Institutions to Regional Development, Peer Review Report: Värmland Region Sweden, OECD, May 2006
Wollmann, H., “Coordination in the Intergovernmental Setting”, in Peters, G., Pierre, J., Handbook of Public Administration, Sage Publications, 2003
75 Public Printings
Statskontoret, Joining-up for Regional Development, 2007:2
Nutek, Uppföljning av de regionala utvecklingsprogrammen, 2007
SOU 2000:64, Regional försöksverksamhet –tre studier.
The Internet
Bakgrund regionala tillväxtavtal, http://www.nutek.se/sb/d/494, (2008-04-25)
Debattartikel, http://www.regionvarmland.se/filer/pdf/Nyh%20080218_DI.pdf, (2008-03-07)
Förord regionalt utvecklingsprogram, http://www.regionvarmland.se/index.asp?id=2648, (2008-04-16)
Hudson, C., Regionala Partnerskap –ett hot eller förverkligande av demokrati? CERUM Working paper 36:2001, http://www.cerum.umu.se/publikationer/pdfs/CWP_36_01.pdf, (2008-05-16)
Hållbar värmländsk växtkraft, Tillväxtprogram för Värmland 2004-2007, Länsstyrelsen I Värmlands län och Region Värmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/filer/pdf/RTP%20Huvudrapport%200312.pdf, (2008-03-07)
Om Region Värmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/index.asp?id=1357, (2008-04-23)
Region Värmland, http://www.regionvarmland.se/, (2008-03-07)
Värmland växer och känner inga gränser, förslag till regionalt utvecklingsprogram år 2009- 2013, http://www.regionvarmland.se/index.asp?id=2626, (2008-04-16)
Sources:
Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Research, Karlstad University, interview conducted 2008-05-12
Chairman of Region Värmland, interview conducted 2008-05-08.
Chief executive, The Paper Province, interview conducted 2008-05-26
Director of planning, the secretariat for investigation and strategy on the county administrative board of Värmland, interview conducted 2008-04-30
Head of the Department for strategy and analysis, Region Värmland, interview conducted 2008-05-06.
Head of the regional office, Svenskt Näringsliv, interview conducted 2008-05-15
Project leader, Innovation Support, interview conducted 2008-05-09
76
Project leader, One stop shop, interview conducted 2008-05-14
Public servant, Department of strategy and analysis, Region Värmland, interview conducted 2008-05-07
Vice-Chancellor of Karlstad University, interview conducted 2008-05-20
Public Printings
“En politik för tillväxt och livskraft i hela landet”, proposition 2001/02:4
Förordning (2003:595) om regionalt tillväxtarbete
Förordning (2007:713) om regionalt tillväxtarbete
Länsstyrelsen i Värmland, “Näringslivsinriktat arbete för värmländs växtkraft”, -Tillväxtavtal för Värmland, February 2000
Länsstyrelsen i Värmlands län och Region Värmland, “Hållbar Värmländsk växtkraft”, - Tillväxtprogram för Värmland 2004-2007, Huvudrapport
Region Värmland, “Värmland växer och känner inga gränser”, -Förslag till regionalt utvecklingsprogram 2009-2013
“Regional tillväxt för arbete och välfärd”, propostion 1997/98:62 The Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications, “A National Strategy for Regional Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Employment 2007-2013”.
77 APPENDIX –Interview guides
Director of planning The county administrative board Vilken är din roll i det regionala utvecklingssamarbetet i Region Värmland? Vilken är Länsstyrelsens roll i Region Värmlands utvecklingssamarbete?
Hur har samarbetet förändrats i processen från RTA (regionala tillväxtavtalen) år 2000 till arbetet med RUP (regionala utvecklingsprogrammen) idag? Har förhållandet mellan den nationella politiken och den regionala politiken förändrats under denna process?
Hur har diskussionen i regionen sett ut efter OECD rapporten? Vilka möjligheter och problem diskuteras?
Finns det enligt dig ett fungerande samarbete mellan universitet, näringsliv och politik i regionen? Formella, informella kontakter? Är det någon länk som är svagare?
Hur ser arbetet ut: lång- och/eller kortsiktiga mål? Helhetssyn i arbetet?
Hur ser ledarskapet i regionen ut?
Finns planer på ett gemensamt ägt riskkapitalbolag? Hur har diskussionen sett ut?
Är det något som du vill tillägga som jag inte frågat om?
Head of department for strategy and analysis Region Värmland Vad var syftet med de regionala tillväxtavtalen? Levde de upp till sitt syfte? Hur såg processen att skapa dessa ut? Vilka var de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter och eventuella problem fanns i processen?
I ljuset av detta, vad var syftet med de regionala tillväxtprogrammen? Hur skiljde sig processen att skapa det regionala tillväxtprogrammen från RTA? Vilka var de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter och eventuella problem fanns i denna process?
Och nu har alltså ett regionalt utvecklingsprogram för regionen utarbetats: Hur har denna process sett ut? Vilka har varit de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter och eventuella problem ser du i denna process?
Hur ser ledarskapet i regionen ut?
Hur tycker du samarbetet mellan universitet, offentlig sektor, näringsliv och politik fungerar i regionen? Är det någon länk som är starkare? Är det någon länk som är svagare?
Jag funderar också lite kring hur man arbetar med nationella och statliga aktörer; Hur ser detta arbete ut?
Vilken roll tror du region värmland har om några år?
Är det någonting du vill tillägga som du tycker är viktigt som jag inte har frågat om?
Public servant, Department of strategy and analysis, Region Värmland Vad var syftet med RTA? Hur såg processen att skapa denna ut? Vilka var de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter och eventuella problem fanns i processen? I ljuset av detta, vad var syftet med RTP?
78 Hur skiljde sig processen att skapa det regionala tillväxtprogrammen från RTA? Vilka var de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter och eventuella problem fanns i denna process?
Och nu har alltså ett regionalt utvecklingsprogram för regionen utarbetats: Hur har denna process sett ut? Vilka har varit de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter och eventuella problem ser du i denna process?
Hur ser ledarskapet i regionen ut?
Hur tycker du samarbetet mellan universitet, offentlig sektor, näringsliv och politik fungerar i regionen? Är det någon länk som är starkare? Är det någon länk som är svagare? Hur förhåller du dig till kritiken man fick i OECD rapporten 2005/2006?
Jag funderar också lite kring hur man arbetar med nationella och statliga aktörer; Hur ser detta arbete ut?
Vilken roll tror du region värmland har om några år?
Är det någonting du vill tillägga som du tycker är viktigt som jag inte har frågat om?
Chairman of Region Värmland Jobbade du med dessa frågor redan när RTA skrevs? Vad var syftet med dessa avtal? Hur skulle du beskriva processen att skapa RTA i Värmland? Levde avtalen upp till sitt syfte?
I ljuset av detta, vad var syftet med de regionala tillväxtprogrammen? Hur skiljde sig processen med RTP från arbetet med RTA? Vilka var de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter öppnades med denna process? Vilka problem har funnits i processen?
Och nu har alltså ett RUP för regionen utarbetats: Hur har processen med RUP skiljt sig från processen att ta fram RTP? Vilka har varit de inblandade aktörerna? Vilka möjligheter öppnades med denna process? Vilka problem har funnits i processen?
Vad har varit utmärkande för ”Värmlandsmodellen”? Vad anser du vara den största utmaningen för värmländsk tillväxt och utveckling? Hur tycker du att samarbetet mellan politik, offentlig sektor, näringsliv och universitet fungerar i regionen? Är det någon länk som är starkare? Någon som är svagare? Svenskt Näringsliv inte med?
Hur ser ledarskapet i de regionala utvecklingsfrågorna ut? Hur ser du på den nuvarande formen av ledarskap i regionala utvecklingsfrågor? (politiskt otydligt mandat?)
Hur fungerar samarbetet med statliga aktörer? Kan det regionala utvecklingsarbetet krocka med den nationella politikens intressen?
Vilken roll tror du Region Värmland har om några år?
Är det någonting du vill tillägga?
The assistant vice-chancellor Hur såg diskussionen ut när RTA för Värmland skapades? Vilka möjligheter öppnades i denna process? Vilka svårigheter fanns i denna process?
Hur såg processen att skapa RTP för Värmland ut? Hur skilde sig denna process från skapandet av RTA?
79 Har universitetets roll i processen förändrats mellan RTA och RTP? Vilka möjligheter öppnades i denna process? Vilka svårigheter fanns i denna process?
Hur såg processen att skapa RUP för Värmland ut? Hu skilde sig denna process från skapandet RTP? Har universitetets roll i processen förändrats mellan RTP och RUP? Vilka möjligheter öppnades i denna process? Vilka svårigheter har funnits i denna process?
Hur tycker du att samarbetet mellan universitet, näringsliv och offentlig sektor fungerar i regionen? Finns det någon länk som är starkare? Finns det någon länk som är svagare? Hur har samarbetet förändrats under senare år?
Vilka möjligheter öppnar klustrena upp för ur ett innovationsperspektiv? Vilka svårigheter kan finna med kluster upp för ur ett innovationsperspektiv? Vilken ser du som den största utmaningen för värmländsk tillväxt och utveckling?
Vilka utmaningar står universitetet inför när det gäller att bidra till regional tillväxt och utveckling i Värmland?
Är det någonting du tycker är viktigt som jag inte frågat om som du vill tillägga?
Projectleader innovation support Kan du berätta lite om dig själv och vad du gjort tidigare? Kan du berätta lite om det här projektet? –Nyckelaktörsprogrammet? Vilken är målgruppen?
Hur upplever du innovationsklimatet i Värmland? Gynnsamma faktorer i regionen? Svårigheter i regionen?
Hur upplever du samarbetet mellan universitetet och näringsliv/ universitet och offentlig sektor?
Har du varit delaktig i arbetet med att ta fram det nya RUP? Hur har denna process sett ut? Vilka möjligheter har funnits i denna process? Vilka svårigheter?
Är det någonting du vill tillägga?
The vice-chancellor Karlstad University Var det du som introducerade visionen om att Kau ska vara det ”moderna universitetet”? Vad innebär denna vision? Vad var tanken bakom visionen? Hur har universitetets ”tredje uppgift” utvecklats sen den introducerades 1997? Hur ser du på denna uppgift? Finns det ett internt stöd för denna uppgift?
Hur ser du på forskningspropositionen som väntas från regeringen? Vilka möjligheter öppnar den upp för ur ett Värmländskt perspektiv? Vilka utmaningar/ svårigheter kan komma med denna proposition ur ett Värmländskt perspektiv?
Hur tycker du att processen att skapa det RUP i Värmland har fungerat? Hur har universitetets roll sett ut i processen? Vilka möjligheter har funnits i denna process? Har det funnits några svagheter i denna process?
Hur tycker du att samarbetet mellan universitet, näringsliv och offentlig sektor fungerar? Finns det någon länk som är starkare?
80 Finns det någon länk som är svagare?
I OECD rapporten som genomfördes 2005/06 blev universitetet rekommenderade att skapa starkare band till de regionala klustrena, hur ser du på detta samarbete nu? Vilka möjligheter öppnar klustrena upp för ur ett innovationsperspektiv? Vilka svårigheter kan finnas med kluster utifrån ett innovationsperspektiv?
Vilka utmaningar står universitetet för när det gäller att bidra till regional tillväxt och utveckling i Värmland? Vilken/ vilka ser du som den största utmaningen för värmländsk tillväxt och utveckling?
Har du någonting som du tycker är viktigt som jag inte har frågat om som du vill tillägga?
The Head of the regional office, Svenskt Näringsliv Kan du börja med att lite kort berätta vad Svenskt Näringsliv jobbar med? Vilka är era medlemmar/klienter? Hur skiljer sig Svenskt Näringslivs verksamhet från Handelskammarens?
Hur samverkar Svenskt Näringsliv med universitetet i frågor som rör regional utveckling i Värmland?
Hur samverkar Svenskt Näringsliv med offentlig sektor i frågor som rör regional utveckling i Värmland? Hur har tankegångarna/diskussionen sett ut när man tagit beslutet att inte delta i de regionala utvecklingsprogrammen? Gäller det även tillväxtprogrammen? Är man inte rädd att missa ett tillfälle att lyfta sina medlemmars intressen?
Hur ser du på processen att skapa RTP i Värmland?
Hur ser du på processen att skapa RUP i Värmland?
Hur ser du på samarbetet mellan näringsliv och offentlig sektor i Värmland? Hur ser du på samarbetet mellan näringsliv och Karlstads universitet?
Hur ser du på Värmländsk tillväxt? Vilka möjligheter finns? Vilka svårigheter finns?
Är det någonting du vill tillägga?
Project leader One Stop Shop Kan du börja med att berätta lite om One stop shop? Vart kom initiativet att starta projektet ifrån? Vad är syftet med projektet? Vilka möjligheter skapas i och med detta projekt?
Vilka svårigheter finns i kontakten mellan små och medelstora företag och universitetet?
Hur har gensvaret sett ut?
Har du någonting du vill tillägga?
Chief Executive The Paper Province
När initierades The Paper Province? Av vem/ vilka? Vad var syftet då? Hur jobbar man idag?
Vilka möjligheter öppnar kluster upp för, ur ett innovationsperspektiv? Kan det finnas några svårigheter med kluster, ur ett innovationsperspektiv?
Har du varit delaktig i processen att skapa RUP?
81 Hur tycker du processen har fungerat? Vilka möjligheter öppnar det här samarbetet upp för? Har det funnits några svårigheter i det här samarbetet?
Var du delaktig i arbetet med RTP också? Hur tycker du den processen fungerade? Hur skiljde den sig från RUP? Har The paper province roll i arbetet förändrats mellan dessa två processer?
Var du delaktig i framtagandet av RTA? Hur tycker du den processen fungerade?
Hur tycker du att samarbetet mellan näringslivet, universitetet och offentlig sektor fungerar i Värmland? Kan du se någon förändring i detta samarbete på senare åren?
Hur ser kontakten med nationella politiken ut? departementen etc.
Hur upplever du innovationsklimatet i Värmland?
Hur ser du på regional tillväxt och utveckling i Värmland? Vilka möjligheter finns? Vilka utmaningar finns?
Är det någonting som du vill tillägga som jag inte har frågat om?
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