Situating knowledge combinations beyond the factory gate: Examples from two innovation projects in rural Norway

Abstract

Evolutionary economic geography considers knowledge combinations as key for explaining innovation and regional industrial development. Building on the thesis that knowledge is beneficially combined across adjacent industries, the notions of ‘relatedness’ and ‘related variety’ have spurred prolific research. In these strands of research, focus is on potential knowledge combinations, but less so on how knowledge is actually combined. The latter is primarily explained by research on knowledge bases, contributing to a processual understanding. However, knowledge and its combination processes can be better understood with an eye to its social situatedness too. Thus, we here suggest blending insights from different perspectives in the economic geography literature to provide an integrated understanding of the multi-dimensionality and social dynamism of knowledge combination. We apply this framework by investigating the role of individuals in combination processes within tourism.