Resilience, Innovation, and Knowledge Transfer

Abstract

Resilience is obtaining a considerable attention in social sciences. It has particular interest by regional studies as a bouncing forward characteristic of territories that are able to create new paths, based in their explicit and latent capabilities, to cope with shocks and disruptions. Inspired by the evolutionary perspective of resilience, this chapter debates the notion of resilience and presents its relevance to the understanding of innovation and knowledge transfer. Innovation is presented as a crucial collective process to create new possibilities to transform regional economies. Knowledge transfer, from public research organizations to firms, assumes a crucial function by structuring important networks, generating social capital and opening innovation to catalyze the social valorization of research results.