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Virtual proximity and innovation. A study of rural companies in the plastic industry and their use of virtual proximity in innovation processes

Jönsson, Joel LU (2015) SGEM06 20151
Department of Human Geography
Abstract
In todays knowledge economy the use of information and communcation technology (ICT) is ever increasing. The need for investment in ICT infrastructure is stressed from a range of policy makers. In this thesis, using the concept of virtual proximity, the question of how these ICTs can facilitate innovation for rurally located companies will be discussed. The thesis will be aimed at the plastic industry as the goal of the thesis is to explore the use of virtual proximity in a medium tech industry, as the plastic industry. The thesis is designed as a case study and contains five cases. Every case is a an semi-structured interview with a rurally located company regarding their use of virtual proximity in processes of innovation. The thesis... (More)
In todays knowledge economy the use of information and communcation technology (ICT) is ever increasing. The need for investment in ICT infrastructure is stressed from a range of policy makers. In this thesis, using the concept of virtual proximity, the question of how these ICTs can facilitate innovation for rurally located companies will be discussed. The thesis will be aimed at the plastic industry as the goal of the thesis is to explore the use of virtual proximity in a medium tech industry, as the plastic industry. The thesis is designed as a case study and contains five cases. Every case is a an semi-structured interview with a rurally located company regarding their use of virtual proximity in processes of innovation. The thesis also includes an element of comparison were similarities and differences of the companies different practices is being discussed. All the interviewed companies made use of virtual proximity in their innovation processes. How much and in in which ways differed from company to company. The thesis concludes, with some resarvations, that the focus on investing in ICT infrastructre is well aimed. The use of ICTs and virtual proximity is something that will increase in importance for innovation, and thus the infrastructure to support that increase is needed. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Jönsson, Joel LU
supervisor
organization
course
SGEM06 20151
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Virtual proximity, proximity, innovation, product development, ICT, broadband, knowledge economy, geographical proximity, social proximity, cognitive proximity, institutional proximity, organizational proximity
language
English
id
5468381
date added to LUP
2015-09-08 11:26:34
date last changed
2015-09-08 11:26:34
@misc{5468381,
  abstract     = {{In todays knowledge economy the use of information and communcation technology (ICT) is ever increasing. The need for investment in ICT infrastructure is stressed from a range of policy makers. In this thesis, using the concept of virtual proximity, the question of how these ICTs can facilitate innovation for rurally located companies will be discussed. The thesis will be aimed at the plastic industry as the goal of the thesis is to explore the use of virtual proximity in a medium tech industry, as the plastic industry. The thesis is designed as a case study and contains five cases. Every case is a an semi-structured interview with a rurally located company regarding their use of virtual proximity in processes of innovation. The thesis also includes an element of comparison were similarities and differences of the companies different practices is being discussed. All the interviewed companies made use of virtual proximity in their innovation processes. How much and in in which ways differed from company to company. The thesis concludes, with some resarvations, that the focus on investing in ICT infrastructre is well aimed. The use of ICTs and virtual proximity is something that will increase in importance for innovation, and thus the infrastructure to support that increase is needed.}},
  author       = {{Jönsson, Joel}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Virtual proximity and innovation. A study of rural companies in the plastic industry and their use of virtual proximity in innovation processes}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}