Granö-loeng

Tommi Inkinen:
Geography, technology and research & development in Finland

 

Abstract

This presentation focuses on the geography of information and communication technology (ICT) and research & development (R&D) in Finland. I will use empirical examples of key research topics. I will discuss three main strands of questions including 1) citizens and spatial analysis, 2) regional economy and development, and 3) policy analysis. I will demonstrate the overlapping discourses of different aspects involved and explore their complexities. First, citizens’ technology use has geographical variations. These variations are linked to patterns of regional “digital divides”. Second, economy driven analysis includes regional R&D expenditure and employment variations. Economic indicators show biases of Finnish regional structure that is reflected to national level benchmark indicators used in international comparisons. Third, I use examples of public sector policy guidance to broaden the view to Finnish “national innovation system” that has several implications for regional policy and development. The role of university institutions is acknowledged and the national condition of current university organisation is discussed with references to economic indicators. The conclusions suggest that the holistic recognition and adoption of different aspects and viewpoints are essential in the analyses of information technologies and their spatial implications. I will conclude proposing guidelines for future research programming.