Topic: The main objective of the study is to obtain an in-depth, analytical view of the relational map of the German knowledge economy.
Abstract: The study primarily examines the relational map of the German knowledge economy by means of an in-depth, analytical view. It focuses on the question of which large-scale network structures and functional-spatial hierarchies characterize the knowledge economy in Germany and what role is played by metropolitan regions and small and medium-sized urban functional areas? For the empirical survey, a distinction is made between internal and external company linkages. These interdependencies are examined in terms of their intensity on four spatial scale levels: regional, national, European and global. The two central pillars of the knowledge economy are examined: the knowledge-intensive service and high-tech industries. The area under investigation covers the entire German territory and includes other countries close to the border in order to gain additional insights into the intensity of the relationship structures between cross-border metropolitan regions and urban functional areas. The research approach consists of evaluating the empirically obtained data by means of a combination of network analysis and value chain approach.
Participating team members: Alain Thierstein, Stefan Lüthi, Michael Bentlage, Anne Wiese
Client: German Research Foundation (DFG)