The Biotechnology Industry in the Prague Metropolitan Region: A Cluster within a Fragmented Innovation System?

Abstract

Previous research on regional innovation systems (RISs) has shown that Prague is a prime example of a fragmented metropolitan RIS. Fragmented innovation systems are characterized by a strong endowment of knowledge and innovation infrastructure elements, but they suffer from a lack of local networking, cooperation, and knowledge transmission. The aim of this paper is to investigate the nature and geography of innovation, knowledge sourcing, and collaboration in the emerging and still embryonic biotechnology industry in the Prague metropolitan region. The key questions to be answered are whether this general feature of Prague's innovation system (ie its fragmented structure and the lack of local networking) can also be found in a knowledge-intensive sector, such a biotechnology, or whether sectoral drivers are more significant and the generalized ‘local buzz and global pipelines’ model can also be applied to Prague biotech firms. Our research, in contrast to previous studies, shows that relatively intensive linkages exist within the biotechnology sector. Therefore, our results imply that an RIS, even within a single city, might be more diversified and structured than existing studies and typologies of RISs have suggested.