Publications

Handbook for Strategic City-University co-operation

Worldwide, there is a growing recognition that strategic partnering between cities and universities can bring substantial benefits for both sides. The big question is how to organize such partnerships successfully. ...

From individual sustainability orientations to collective sustainability innovation and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems

Sustainability and economic growth—the integration and balance of social, environmental, and economic needs—is a salient concern for sustainable development and social well-being. By focusing on a ...

Coworking spaces: places that stimulate social capital for entrepreneurs

This study examines how social networking facilitated by coworking spaces help entrepreneurs. Drawing on previous research in the different social science disciplines, a conceptual model is proposed that links ...

Balancing exploration and exploitation in sustainable urban innovation

The potential of technological innovation to address urban sustainability has been widely acknowledged over the last decade. Across cities globally, local governments have engaged in partnership arrangements with the ...

Urban Innovation Systems

Introduction: There are good reasons to study urban innovation from a systemic perspective. A key finding in innovation research is that organizations rarely innovate in isolation, but in interaction with clients, ...

It works! But now what? Upscaling smart city experiments

The city as lab People and organizations everywhere are working to make the city more sustainable, more circular and climate-proof. Sustainable innovations are not for sale, we have to make them ourselves by ...

Policy evaluation report

In this policy evaluation report, the results of the first 2 years of the Interreg funded ABCitiEs project are presented. In total 16 entrepreneurship collectives have been studied in 5 partner regions, i.e. Athens, ...

Adopting zero-waste indigo dyeing production

DyStar is a multinational organization and world leader of dyestuffs and chemical manufacturing. As the world’s largest supplier of textile dyes, it offers a broad range of products and has increasingly ...

Productive opportunities, uncertainty, and science-based firm emergence

We provide greater theoretical precision to the concept of productive opportunities of Penrose. We show firm emergence as a recursive cycle of changing productive opportunities. We show how those opportunities result ...

Tech Scale-Ups in the Amsterdam City Region

This report analysis the geography of the tech sector in Amsterdam, with a focus on scaleups. After a literature review, it contains a quantitative analysis, showing and mapping the spatial clustering of various ...

The promise of coworking environments: a content analysis of the positioning of collaborative workspaces in Amsterdam

The emergence of collaborative workspaces is a remarkable feature of contemporary cities. These spaces have appeared rapidly, catering for the locational needs of self-employed workers, start-ups and small-size ...

Intermediation in public procurement of innovation: How Amsterdam’s startup-in-residence programme connects startups to urban challenges

This paper analyses Amsterdam’s Startup-in-Residence (SiR) programme as new type of policy to engage startups in the development of urban innovation through a challenge-based public procurement of innovation ...

Governance of urban collectives in Amsterdam

Across European cities local entrepreneurs are joining forces in new ways, forming collectives to stimulate business growth and innovation and to create a more attractive business environment. The value of such ...

Co-creation at Amsterdam Science Park

Amsterdam Science Park (ASP) is a pearl in the crown of the Amsterdam knowledge economy, with its high-level research institutes (the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam, several institutes of the NWO, ...

An exploration of smart city approaches by international ICT firms

As part of the growing interest in cities to address persistent sustainability issues in society, ‘smart cities’ have increasingly become a ubiquitous phenomenon globally. For multinational enterprises ...

Boosting the entrepreneurial scene in cities: experiences and reflections from the InFocus network – a short communication

This short communication contains a reflection on local entrepreneurial ecosystems and how to boost them, in the context of smart specialisation strategies of cities and regions. It is based on a literature study and ...

From individual sustainability orientations to collective sustainability innovation and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems

Sustainability and economic growth – the integration and balance of social, environmental and economic needs is a salient concern for sustainable development and social well-being. By focusing on a sustainable ...

The Street-Wise University: The Amsterdam Knowledge Mile as an Intermediary and Place-Making Concept

Universities have become more engaged or entrepreneurial, forging deeper relations with society beyond the economic sphere. To foster, structure, and institutionalize a broader spectrum of engagement, new types of ...

Public Value Creation in a Smart City Context: An Analysis Framework

Launching smart city activities and projects requires political support. For sustainable approaches, a concrete strategy, and leadership endorsement from the municipal government is crucial. In accordance with the ...

Motivations and entrepreneurial orientation of sustainable entrepreneurs: an exploratory study of sustainable entrepreneurship archetypes in the fashion industry

Sustainable entrepreneurs need to balance social, environmental and economic goals. However, some put sustainable goals first whereas others prioritize economic outcomes. This suggests differences in types of ...

Universitäten sind die neuen wirtschaftlichen Antriebsmaschinen der Stadt

Universitäten sind Magneten für Studenten, Doktoranden, Professoren – und große Unternehmen. Während einige Städte dadurch einen Wachstumsschub erleben, versuchen andere durch eine ...

Final report

This report contains an analysis of the AMP1’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It aims to assess the external perceptions about the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the Metropolitan Area of Porto and the key variables ...

The promise of coworking environments

The emergence of collaborative workspaces is a remarkable feature of contemporary cities. These spaces have appeared rapidly, catering for the locational needs of self-employed workers, start-ups, and small-size ...

The societal interaction of higher education institutions

This paper explores knowledge-based urban development related to higher education and campuses. It also provides an introduction to design thinking, which has been used as a user-friendly tool for fulfilling the ...

E-Governance in European and South African Cities

Since the late 1990s, city councils have become increasingly aware of the potential for information technologies (ICTs) to improve the management of cities and as an instrument for economic and social policy. This ...

European Cities in the Knowledge Economy

Across Western Europe, the emphasis has shifted from physical manufacturing to the development of ideas, new products and creative processes. This has become known as the knowledge economy. While much has been ...

Growth Clusters in European Metropolitan Cities

This title was first published in 2001. Analyzing and comparing several growth clusters in nine European cities, this compelling volume examines the critical success factors that determine the economic development of ...

Can startups solve urban problems?

Can city administrations benefit from the entrepreneurial spirit of startups, and create better urban solutions with their help? The paper Can startups solve urban problems? critically assesses the interplay between ...

Collaborating with competitors ... 5 tips to managing competition in multi-stakeholder collaborations

Cities and digitalization

In this short paper, we give an overview on how this major trend is unfolding and, specifically, how it affects cities. We take the following starting points: - Digitalization is a strong force that ...

Sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem emergence and development

Our paper investigates the interaction of mechanisms that drive the emergence and development of a sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem (SEE). We study a specific geographic context, the Amsterdam metropolitan ...

Making waves

This study takes a valuation perspective to study how and where products and innovations are gaining ‘economic significance’ in the contemporary economy.

Smart city pilot projects

In many cities, pilot projects are set up to test new technologies that help to address urban sustainability issues, improve the effectiveness of urban services, and enhance the quality of life of citizens. These ...

Entrepreneurial orientation and its effect on sustainability decision tradeoffs

We examined the entrepreneurial orientation and sustainability orientation, a persistent and conflicting duality, of sustainable entrepreneurs and their evaluation of competing priorities in sustainability decision ...

A vivid portrait of a versatile Amsterdam Zuidoost

Developing a research approach from Amsterdam Zuidoost.

Planned knowledge locations in cities

This paper puts forward a conceptual framework to analyse emergence and the development of planned knowledge locations in cities (science and technology parks, creative factories, knowledge hubs, etc.).

Die Politur des Wissensperlen

In diesem ersten LOGbuch, das die Internationale Bauhausstellung IBA Heidelberg im vierten Jahr ihres Bestehens herausgibt, wird das ambitionierte Thema Wissen | schafft | Stadt ausgelotet und in seiner Relevanz fur ...

The Campus

DREAMS and SEEDS: The role of campuses in sustainable urban development

Lab Amsterdam

Amsterdam as a lab. That is what Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences' three fieldlabs and its many partners have in mind. Functional illiteracy, debts, learning deficiencies or problems caused by extreme ...

Organising smart city projects

In recent years, a large amount of smart city solutions has been started in Amsterdam that contribute to the quality of life in the city. However, many of these solutions or initiatives do not succeed. Getting smart ...

Growing fast or slow?

The paper explores the process of early growth of entrepreneurial science-based firms. Drawing on case studies of British and Dutch biopharmaceutical R&D firms, we conceptualize the speed of early growth of ...

Polishing knowledge pearls

In our knowledge-based society, prosperity derives from knowledge and innovation rather than from natural resources or a favourable geographic location.

Urbanize or perish?

This paper explores the drivers behind a recent “urban turn” of planned knowledge locations in Europe. While acknowledging a general tendency towards more urbanity, we argue that a dense and diverse urban ...

When do acquirers invest in the R&D assets of acquired science-based firms in cross-border acquisitions?

Drawing on a multiple case study of acquisitions of UK biopharmaceutical firms, we develop an analytical framework that elucidates how key determinants of the knowledge base of science-based firms and their ...

Entrepreneurial orientations and their impact on trade-off decisions in sustainability

Our paper investigates the microfoundations of sustainable entrepreneurship and aims to shed light on trade-offs made in decisions about social, ecological and economic sustainability. Balancing the ...

Hub Cities 2.0 for the 21st century

In recent years, cities such as Amsterdam have used the term hub city to define themselves in a global context. Hub cities are cities that play – or aspire to – a crucial role in the international and ...

Collaborating with competitors to advance sustainability

Sustainability challenges are among the most complex and difficult problems facing businesses today. These challenges involve many actors and interests and overlapping concerns, and addressing them requires ...

Assess your competitor collaboration to advance sustainability

If your company is currently collaborating with competitors in order to advance sustainability, this tool will help you think about how to take that collaboration to the next level and achieve better results. If ...

Local-global knowledge sourcing in the context of an open innovation knowledge platform

Our paper investigates the inherent tensions between the local embeddedness of highly tacit knowledge and the global sourcing of ‘open’ knowledge or innovation.

Smart city pilot projects, scaling up or fading out?

In many cities, pilot projects are set up to test or develop new technologies that improve sustainability, urban quality of life or urban services (often labelled as “smart city” projects). Typically, ...

Coworking: an analysis of coworking strategies for interaction and innovation

This paper analyses how managed coworking spaces affect the innovation process of their members.

Capturing the Imaginary: Students and Other Tribes in Amsterdam

During the last decades students have become a target group for cities like Amsterdam. They are addressed as the talented forces that cities need in order to face increasing global competitiveness, a force which ...

Smaller university cities

In the face of increasing globalisation, with the biggest cities reaping the greatest rewards, knowledge economy specialist Willem van Winden examines the future for smaller university cities.

Making 21st Century Knowledge Complexes:

The world has changed profoundly since the publication of the influential book Technopoles of the World. As policy-makers and practitioners attempt to harness science, technology and innovation to create dynamic and ...

Intermezzo II: Persoonlijke reflecties uit de praktijk rondom steden als living/urban labs en de samenwerking tussen kennisinstellingen, bedrijfsleven, stedelijk en nationaal bestuur

Dit artikel is gepubliceerd in een themanummer van het tijdschrift Bestuurskunde. Dit nummer gaat over de stad als lab voor sociale verandering.

Triple Helix (3H): Where Are Europe's Cities Standing?

What is the triple helix? The triple helix (3H) of university-industry-government relations has become one of the most popular innovation models in the last two decades. What is the relevance for cities? How can they ...

'New urban economies': challenges ahead

Europe’s urban economies do not look the same as ten years ago. And in ten years from now,they will again be different. The digital revolution is particularly disruptive: entire sectors are being transformed, ...

Food For Thought: Citizens As 'Part-Time' Entrepreneurs

In a growing number of economic branches, citizens are becoming more active, as part-time producers, service providers, suppliers or even entrepreneurs. They compete with traditional companies, but often operate ...

The Different Faces Of The Urban Digital Economy

What will a shopping street look like in 2025, when online shopping continues to show double-digit growth? And what will 3D printing do to factories and logistic companies, when we can ‘print’ more and ...

Health & Care: Drivers Of Urban Growth?

Here is something that all Europeans find of prime importance: affordable access to good health care; high quality elderly care; being able to live independently, even if you are handicapped or chronically ill.

Setting The Scene: Economic Transitions In European Cities

In the recent ‘Regional outlook’, the OECD (2014) convincingly argues that cities can be the drivers of national growth and recovery: in principle, their diversity and density makes people and companies ...

Economic Intelligence For Cities: Strategies And Pitfalls

Why cities need economic intelligence. The economies of Europe’s cities are changing fast, and it is not easy to predict which segments of the local economy will grow and which ones will decline. Yet, cities ...

The Open Data Economy: promoting digital innovation in Dublin

The case study on Dublin (Ireland) is one of the concrete results of the URBACT workstream ‘New urban economies’, after collection of data, a study visit, and interviews with local stakeholders.

City & University: a sympony for progress

How can university and city administration co-create the city? Where do their interests meet and diverge, and what is needed to exploit synergies?

New style cluster policy: riding the waves of San Sebastian's emerging surf economy

The case study on San Sebastian (Spain) is one of the concrete results of the URBACT workstream ‘New urban economies’, after collection of data,a study visit, and interviews with local stakeholders.

CAPTURING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

European cities are confronted with a rapidly changing economy. The crisis has destroyed jobs across both service and manufacturing industries, and has revealed the shakiness of the financial service sector. Jobs get ...

Knowledge spaces and places: From the perspective of a “born-global” start-up in the field of urban technology

The success of cities increasingly relies on its capacity to capitalize on its knowledge base, but also on its potential to anchor external knowledge and the strategies of knowledge-based firms.

Connecting cities building successes

This paper discusses how universities could explore and exploit the city as learning environment, a place full of interesting research questions, real-life problems waiting to be solved and challenges to be addressed.

Regionalization Strategies of European Union Electric Utilities

As part of the debate about globalization and regionalization, this paper adds a perspective that has so far remained underexposed, that of (formerly state‐owned) firms in (previously) regulated industries, in ...

Business Models for Sustainable Energy Development

Business-led approaches to accessing energy in development countries are becoming key factors to sustainable market development. Given the major challenges in this market, companies will blend commercial and ...