Ilovan_2_2013

COMPETITIVE REGIONS AND STRUGGLING REGIONS IN THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY
OANA‐RAMONA ILOVAN1, ANA‐MARIA POP2
1“Babeş‐Bolyai” University, Faculty of Geography, Department of Regional Geography and Territorial Planning, Cluj‐Napoca, Romania, e‐mail: ilovanoana@geografie.ubbcluj.ro.
2“Babeş‐Bolyai” University, Faculty of Geography, Centre for Regional Geography, e‐mail: ana‐ maria.pop@geografie.ubbcluj.ro.
ABSTRACT. – Competitive Regions and Struggling Regions in the Knowledge Economy. We answered the following two main questions of our study: how to ensure the resilience of regions within the knowledge economy and which were the regional strengths in order to promote sustainable development, in the context of an innovative and competitive environment. In this context, regional policy should undergo significant changes in order to adapt to an economy that has changed, more exactly it is necessary to develop a series of less tangible goods, but that support regions to develop their potential. Still, there is no universal formula appropriate for all regions. That is why each region has to create its own strategy for regional development within the knowledge economy. Nevertheless, the common purpose of all regions is to create a sustainable community that is economically competitive, socially inclusive and with a quality environment.
Keywords: regional development, knowledge economy, innovation, competitiveness.
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