This paper relies on knowledge gained from ITRACT (Improving Transport and Accessibility through new Communication Technologies), an Interreg IVB project in the North Sea Region. We will show how digital innovation to promote mobility and accessibility in rural areas is limited by poor data infrastructure …

The power of the European Union’s language policy is limited, since it runs its policy based on the principle of subsidiarity. However, this does not mean the EU cannot exert pressure on the member states and thus, influence national language policies. As European countries increasingly focus on the …

In 2013 the Centre of Applied Labour Market Research (Kenniscentrum Arbeid, KCA) has developed a method for data collection to get an insight in employer’s future demand for staff. The method is developed to contribute to solve an action problem in the Eemsdelta region. Despite indications of a threat …

Clusters are the magic answer to regional economic development. Firms in clusters are more innovative; cluster policy dominates EU policy; ‘top-sectors’ and excellence are the choice of national policy makers; clusters are ‘in’. But, clusters are complex, clusters are ‘messy’; there is no clear logic …

Does Northern Europe possess unique characteristics that cannot disappear and do not need to disappear, or will globalisation inevitably result in uniformity, divested businesses, lower wages and huge pressure on social security provisions? This is one of the main questions addressed by the authors. …

Germany has been an influential member state in the European Union, but how influential has Germany been in shaping EU-policies? What domestic policies did Germany upload to shape the EU-policies and what major EU policies did it download to shape domestic policies? This dissertation has researched Germany’s …

The creative economy is considered to contribute to urban and regional development in several ways. In addition to the prevalent economic perspective on the creative sector as a generator of jobs and innovation, often it is also assumed to contribute to the regeneration of deprived neighbourhoods. Although …

Between 2009 and 2013 a project has been executed in the Utrecht region to strengthen the workplace innovation capacity of SMEs (My Company 2.0). The participating companies were asked to fill in a questionnaire on the workplace innovation capacity of the company at two moments: at the beginning (T0) …

The European Social Fund, ESF, along with the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund is part of the European Structural Funds. These Funds are created to narrow the differences in living standards and prosperity throughout the European Union. Since 1957, the aim of the European Social …

The energy transition requires the transformation of communities and neighbourhoods. It will have huge ramifications throughout society. Many cities, towns and villages have put together ambitious visions about how to achieve e.g. energy neutrality, zero-emission or zero-impact. What is happening at …