Cities and regions in the new learning economy : first resultats from Pisa 2000

Is there a "new learning economy"? Do regions and cities play new roles in terms of governance and intervention in order to promote learning, innovation, productivity and economic performance at the local level? Such questions are high on the political agenda everywhere. This publication, which views the debate from the perspective of a regional learning economy, clearly answers in the affirmative. Of central importance is the idea that learning regions and cities, which are especially well attuned to the requirements of the new learning economy, may be fostered through the development of appropriate strategies of public governance and intervention. The relationships between various forms of learning and economic performance at the regional level are analysed and provide strong evidence of the importance of individual and firm-level organisational learning for regions’ economic performance. Case studies of five regions and cities indicate that social capital affects both individual and organisational learning. This publication analyzes relationships between various forms of learning and economic performance at the regional level and provides rather strong evidence of the importance of individual and firm-level organizational learning for regions' economic performance. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 maps out a conceptual framework for the "learning region" by using the systems of innovation approach. It focuses on the relationships between the development of regional systems of innovation and the processes of individual and organizational learning. Chapter 3 presents a set of research questions to be addressed in the empirical analysis. Chapter 4 addresses some research questions through correlation analyses of learning and economic performance for all regions in the 15 member states of the European Union. Chapter 5 gives the empirical analysis greater depth through five case studies of actual regions attempting to respond positively to the challenges posed by the emergence of the new learning economy. The diversity of socioeconomic circumstances and developmental strategies emphasizes that each area necessarily has to create its own strategy for economic and social growth that must reflect the specifics of its past and current circumstances. Chapter 6 summarizes conclusions of the empirical work, a necessary basis for identifying problems that could and should be solved or mitigated through public policy intervention. Chapter 7 presents such policy implications and ends with a list of 10 policy principles for creating and sustaining "learning regions." Appendixes include statistical profiles of the case study areas. (Contains 96 references.) (YLB) Peut-on parler d'une nouvelle économie apprenante? Les régions et les villes jouent-elles un nouveau rôle, en terme de gouvernance et d'intervention, pour stimuler l'apprentissage, l'innovation, la productivité et les performances économoques à l'échelon local? Autant de questions qui sont partout au centre des préoccupations des responsables politiques. Cette publication aborde le débat dans la perspective d'une économie régionale apprenante et apporte à ces questions des reponces résolument affermatives. L'une des idées maîtresses en est que les villes et les régions apprenantes s'accordent particulièrement bien aux éxigences de la nouvelle économie d'apprentissage et qu'elles peuvent être stimulées grâce à des stratégies de gouvernance et d'intervention des pouvoirs publics adéquates