Commercialising innovation, knowledge assets and research excellence to enhance local economic development in the Liverpool city-region (LCR)

这是英国和国际上重大经济、政治和制度动荡的时期。2008年金融危机的爆发和英国脱欧公投的结果可以说为英国经济带来了一系列新的挑战，即如何以及以何种方式在（次）国家层面上进行未来的经济发展。在这方面，创新（定义包括研发、商业化、技术转让、（公司和社会）创业精神和附带利益）被视为在全球“知识经济”中提高竞争力的关键。在过去30年中，发达国家总产出增长的一半以上来自创新，鉴于大多数经济活动集中在城市地区，知识和创新是生产力和竞争力的两个最重要驱动力。然而，虽然有些地方可能能够通过发展创新相关活动而繁荣起来，但其他地方的表现则不那么好。近年来，研究往往侧重于美国的“典型”案例，如波士顿或硅谷以及英国的剑桥。然而，模仿这样的“成功”远非易事。这项研究有助于通过探索创新的商业化在利物浦城市地区（LCR）进行的方式，这一“差距”。其目的是探索LCR在多大程度上正在开发一个持久和强大的框架，以最大限度地将创新资产和能力商业化，从而推动未来的本地经济发展和竞争力。将采用定性方法进行跨学科研究，包括深入分析相关学术和公共政策文件，以及与主要利益相关者进行密集的半结构化访谈。除了LCR，两个比较案例研究地区将根据它们为创新商业化提供的经验教训进行选择。国际比较维度将有助于确定从研究中得出的主要理论见解和政策相关经验教训。

These are times of major economic, political and institutional upheaval in the UK and internationally. The onset of the financial crisis in 2008 and the Brexit referendum result has arguably ushered in a new set of challenges for the UK economy in terms of how, and in what ways, future economic development at the (sub-) national level is carried out. In this context, innovation (defined to include R&D, commercialisation, technology transfer, (corporate and social) entrepreneurship and spin-offs), is viewed as crucial for promoting competitiveness in the global 'knowledge economy'. In the last 30 years, over half the total growth in output of the developed world resulted from innovation and given that most economic activities are concentrated in city regions, knowledge and innovation are two of the most significant drivers of productivity and competitiveness. While some places, however, may be able to prosper from developing innovation-related activities, others will perform less well. Hitherto, research has tended to focus on 'exemplar' US cases such as Boston or Silicon Valley and Cambridge in the UK. Emulating such 'successes', however, is far from straightforward. This research contributes to this 'gap' through exploring the ways in which the commercialisation of innovation is carried out in the Liverpool City Region (LCR). The aim is to explore the extent to which the LCR is developing a durable and robust framework for maximising the commercialisation of the innovation assets and capabilities that will in turn drive future local economic development and competitiveness. A qualitative approach will be used to carry out this interdisciplinary research including in-depth analysis of relevant academic and public policy documents as well as intensive, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Alongside the LCR, the two comparative case study localities will be chosen on the lessons that they provide for the commercialisation of innovation. The international comparative dimension will help to identify the main theoretical insights and policy relevant lessons to emerge from the research.