Yliopistojen yhteiskunnallisen vaikuttavuuden mittarikehikon kehittäminen : loppuraportti : kesäkuu 2008 ; Liiteraportti: Yliopistokohtaiset mittaritaulut

Role of regional policies in promoting networking and innovation activity of firms

The success of firms and regions is increasingly defined by their innovation and learning capabilities. It has been emphasized in several studies that a local operational environment may have a positive impact on innovation activity of firms. From policy point of view, the relationship between firms and their local environment is an important research topic. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether there is a demand for regional policy makers in promoting innovative and networking activity of firms, and what are the appropriate strategies in this regard. The concept of innovative milieu provides a theoretical base for this study. The data used is based on personal interviews represen…

When are investment subsidies crucial for investments?

EU enlargement to the less developed countries in Central and Eastern Europe is forcing policy makers to reconsider the role of business subsidies in the EU. For example, to what extent the use of investment subsidies should be allowed in the future? Which regions should be supported? In this paper we study conditions under which investment subsidy is a necessary requirement for project implementation in Finland. Empirical analysis is conducted using micro level data on investment projects of private sector firms. The data set comprises 1,836 projects that received public investment subsidies between 2001 and 2003. Our results show that the necessity of the investment subsidies is strongly …

Can Migration Decisions Be Affected by Income Policy Interventions? Evidence from Finland

Haapanen M. and Ritsila J. (2007) Can migration decisions be affected by income policy interventions? Evidence from Finland, Regional Studies 41, 339–348. Using Finnish micro-level data, this paper maps out whether migration decisions can be affected by income policy interventions. The analysis focuses on individuals living in peripheral regions and distinguishes peripheral migration from growth-centre migration. In support of the human capital hypothesis, the estimation results imply that migration decisions can be affected by income policy interventions. For example, an intervention that would increase an individual's expected disposable income by 10%, given that he/she does not move to a…

The Role of Structural Funds in Developing Learning Regions

The thematic background of learning regions is based on the concept of learning organisations and on the paradigm of the innovative milieu. The frame of reference of the learning regions can be seen as a synthesis of regional and organisational based definitions, which involve the process of learning. Compared to the theory of learning organisations, the most challenging question is to find the collective mission among a heterogeneous group of actors, which involves individuals, organisations, enterprises etc. The key processes of learning regions can be divided in the three categories. The first element in the concept of learning regions is producing and enhancing human capital in individu…

Can migration decisions be affected by income taxation policies?

In this empirical paper we examine whether or not migration decisions can be affected by individual measures of regional policy. To shed light on the question, we study formation of expected earnings and effect of expected earnings on interregional migration decisions in Finland. We consider how this effect varies among individuals, especially among employees in medical and health care sector and in teaching sector. We generated expected earnings in migration and staying alternatives from an endogenous switching regression. These expected earnings were used as additional explanatory variables in a random parameter logit migration model. In the migration model individual can choose between t…

Studies on the spatial concentration of human capital

Evaluation of investment subsidies - When is deadweight effect zero?

In the evaluation of investment subsidies one of the critical issues concerns the assessment of deadweight, that is, the degree to which projects would have been carried out without grant assistance. With the increasing restrictions on and cuts in subsidies for investment projects in the EU countries maximisation of the impact of the public resources that remain can be achieved through their allocation for projects with minimum deadweight. This paper studies the profile of subsidised zero deadweight investment projects – projects that would be abandoned without public subsidies – in Finland. The empirical analysis is conducted using micro level data on investment projects by private sector …

Evaluation of investment subsidies: when is deadweight zero?

In the evaluation of investment subsidies one of the critical issues concerns the assessment of deadweight, that is, the degree to which projects would have been carried out without grant assistance. With the increasing restrictions on and cuts in subsidies for investment projects in the EU countries maximisation of the impact of the public resources that remain can be achieved through their allocation for projects with minimum deadweight. This paper studies the profile of subsidised zero deadweight investment projects – projects that would be abandoned without public subsidies – in Finland. The empirical analysis is conducted using micro level data on investment projects by private sector …