Posted on behalf of Neil Reid. --------
Dear Colleagues: Please find attached the call for papers for a mini-conference on the theme of "Innovation and Creativity in Emerging Economic Spaces: Local Entrepreneurship and Transnational Corporations" that will be held under the auspices of the IGU Commission on the Dynamics of Economic Spaces in Krakow, Poland on May 3-12, 2012. Please review the call for papers (below) and contact either Dr. Grzegorz Micek at g.mi...@uj.edu.pl or Dr. Neil Reid at neil.r...@utoledo.edu if you have questions. * * * * *International Geographical Union * *Commission on The Dynamics of Economic Spaces* *Jagiellonian University * *Institute of Geography and Spatial Management* * * *CALL FOR PAPERS* 2012 mini-conference *Innovation and Creativity in Emerging Economic Spaces:* *Local Entrepreneurship and Transnational Corporations*** * * 3rd-5th May 2012 Kraków, Poland Dense networks of local inter-connected firms facilitate the creation of innovative milieu. Formal and informal linkages between companies and other stakeholders lead to enhanced local creativity. A similar role may be played by transnational corporations, which may gradually become embedded in relations with local partners. Hence, new economic spaces of innovation and creativity emerge and lead to geographical, institutional and social changes. The objective of the Conference is to examine the innovative and creative local and foreign businesses and to study the relationships between local companies and global enterprises. It is widely accepted that the scope of innovative behavior is not limited to high-tech industries or knowledge-intensive business services; creativity in ‘traditional’ industries is no less important. Since operations and linkages of local and global enterprises are highly volatile, the dynamics of these relations can be especially intriguing. Conference organizers are also open for contributions that focus on the relations between core (North America, Western and Northern Europe, Japan and East Asia) and emerging economies. Another important objective of the conference is to create opportunities for networking. The organizers would like to facilitate transfer of knowledge and international research collaboration between people, institutions and countries. We encourage contributions originating from a variety of academic disciplines such as economic geography, regional studies, economics, international business, strategic management and planning. We would welcome sound empirical studies based on the established theoretical background. We invite contributions on the following topics: § Local, creative entrepreneurship in traditional industries § Innovative industries in neo-Marshallian industrial districts § Innovative businesses and their contribution to local and regional development § Family businesses and their role in local and regional development § Cluster initiatives focused on local entrepreneurship § Evolutionary perspective on local and regional growth trajectories § Role of innovative and creative industries in path development/creation § Geographical, social and cultural embeddedness of TNCs § Clusters and networks of interconnected local and global companies § Dynamics of networks, clusters and firms § Phoenix industries § Influence of EU enlargement on local innovativeness and creativity § Role of social capital in enabling creativity of businesses § Local and global companies & public policy interactions The selected papers will be considered for publication in a book. Charge for attendance at the conference (incl. field trip cost, 3 lunches, and conference dinner): 850 PLN (1 PLN – approx. 0.22 EUR; 1 PLN – approx. 0.3 USD). Important deadlines: - Abstract submission: *15 February 2012* (abstracts of up to 500 words should be submitted to dr Grzegorz Micek at g.mi...@uj.edu.pl); abstract should include names of all the authors, affiliation and full contact details). - Notification about acceptance *28 February* *2012* - Fee payment: *31 March 2012* The conference venue: Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Kraków, Poland More information about the conference will be forthcoming on the Commission website - http://uac.utoledo.edu/igu_commission/index.htm.