The Knowledge Plexus

This book is a collection of 5 essays on the economic geography of technological knowledge.
Their common threads are: (i) the quest for a new paradigm in economic geography, termed ‘systemic’, as an alternative to the neoclassical, based on the epistemological premise of emergence and the theories of evolution and complexity; and (ii) the intent to explain the process of technological knowledge production as a systemic phenomenon occurring in relational space subject to emergence and co-evolutionary dynamics.
In this theoretical framework, the author analyses various European knowledge networks, and examines their effects on the production of technological knowledge as sources of relational cognitive capital and economies of complexity.
He then poses a number of questions on the direction and instrumentalities of the European research, technological development and innovation policies, and in particular on the issues of cohesion and dynamic efficiency of the European research system.

Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - Towards A Systemic Paradigm In Economic Geography: I. Neoclassical Anomalies, Evolution, Complexity And Emergence
Chapter 3 - Towards A Systemic Paradigm In Economic Geography: II. The Mesoeconomic Plexus And The Emergence Of Technological Knowledge In Relational Space
Chapter 4 - Mapping The Knowledge Plexus: The Topological Structure Of Interregional Knowledge Networks
Chapter 5 - Analysing The Knowledge Plexus: The Production Of Technological Knowledge In Relational Space
Chapter 6 - Governing The Knowledge Plexus: Policy Myths, Realities And Dilemmas In A Regionally Divided Europe
Chapter 7 - Conclusion

George Chorafakis, PhD (Cantab), MSc (LSE), MSc (London) is an economic geographer specializing in the economics of knowledge and technology.
He has a long academic and professional experience in research, technological development and innovation policies, as well as in regional and cohesion policies in the EU context.
He has worked for the European Commission as a policy analyst, contributed policy-relevant work to the OECD, and published in several academic journals in the field.