Sabine Sedlacek

Governance, agricultural intensification, and land sparing in tropical South America

Significance Tropical South America has forest resources of global significance but exhibits a relatively high rate of deforestation. As agricultural expansion remains the most important cause of forest loss and degradation there, it is important to understand its main drivers. In this paper we address two important questions: How do the quality of governance and agricultural intensification combine to impact the spatial expansion of agriculture? Which aspects of governance are more likely to ensure that agricultural intensification allows sparing land for nature? By distinguishing between conventional and environmental dimensions of governance (which includes also the establishment of protected areas), we investigate which of these two aspects, by interacting with the process of agricultural intensification, is likely to promote land sparing. In this paper we address two topical questions: How do the quality of governance and agricultural intensification impact on spatial expansion of agriculture? Which aspects of governance are more likely to ensure that agricultural intensification allows sparing land for nature? Using data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, the World Database on Protected Areas, and the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, we estimate a panel data model for six South American countries and quantify the effects of major determinants of agricultural land expansion, including various dimensions of governance, over the period 1970–2006. The results indicate that the effect of agricultural intensification on agricultural expansion is conditional on the quality and type of governance. When considering conventional aspects of governance, agricultural intensification leads to an expansion of agricultural area when governance scores are high. When looking specifically at environmental aspects of governance, intensification leads to a spatial contraction of agriculture when governance scores are high, signaling a sustainable intensification process.

Regional economic transformation and the innovation system of Styria

Abstract Many regions in advanced countries, in particular old industrial ones, have been challenged by globalization and restructuring. They have strong imperatives to innovate, i.e. to renew their product structure, technology and organizational practices. Broader and more lasting effects of renewal can be achieved if firms are part of a ‘regional innovation system’ and not just individual isolated actors. Styria is an example of a traditional industrial region in Austria in the process of restructuring. It had a strong industrial base in the past but has had a weak economic performance in recent decades. Also, the innovative performance of its industry was lower than in Austria. In the last few years firms have become more active in this respect, however. Styria has developed a few industrial clusters, the most important being in materials and metals, wood and paper and transport and vehicles. In part, universities and research institutions are actors in these clusters and Styrian policy‐makers support...

Regional identity: a key to overcome structural weaknesses in peripheral rural regions?

Regional identity: a key to overcome structural weaknesses in peripheral rural regions? Depopulation is a well-known phenomenon in peripheral rural regions. The most identified problems are based on structural weaknesses in terms of decreasing business activities and a lack of public infrastructure. In such regions population is mainly older causing major changes in social infrastructure. For instance many schools and kindergartens close down for lack of demand, which hinders young families to migrate to such regions. The result is typically a negative cumulative process of loss of population, loss of jobs, loss of infrastructure, further outmigration. It is an enormous challenge for such regions to overcome this vicious circle. Regional identity can be seen as an important factor to overcome such structural weaknesses. The paper will discuss the concept of regional identity in order to define the term and how it is embedded in regional development theory. The empirical analysis is presenting results focusing on regional identity coming out of a qualitative data analysis and a postal survey. We designed a regional identity index, which measures the intensity of personal and social relationships of both in-migrants and out-migrants. Periphere ländliche Regionen sind vielfach durch eine stetige Abwanderung gekennzeichnet. Die häufigste Ursache wird in der wirtschaftlichen Strukturschwäche geortet, die vor allem die Funktion Arbeiten in erheblichem Ausmaß gefährdet. Die bedeutendsten Folgeprobleme der Abwanderung sind aus demographischer Sicht die Überalterung und aus versorgungstechnischer Sicht die Ausdünnung der Infrastruktur, insbesondere der sozialen Infrastruktur. Es entsteht ein negativer zirkulär-kumulativer Prozess, der zu weiteren Verlusten an Bevölkerung, Arbeitsplätzen, Versorgungseinrichtungen, Infrastruktur usw. führt und die Handlungsfähigkeit der Region maßgeblich einschränkt. Daher stellt das Durchbrechen dieses Teufelskreises eine der wichtigsten Herausforderungen für viele periphere ländliche Regionen dar. Die Rolle der regionale Identität zur Lösung derartiger struktureller Probleme ist noch zunehmend unterbelichtet. Der vorliegende Beitrag fokussiert auf das Konzept der regionalen Identität, wobei die Frage der Definition des Begriffes und dessen Einbettung in die Regionalwissenschaften näher beleuchtet wird. Die empirische Analyse präsentiert identitätsbezogene Ergebnisse einer umfangreicheren Studie im Rahmen derer eine Fragebogenerhebung, Tiefeninterviews und eine Makrodatenanalyse durchgeführt wurden. Für diesen Artikel haben wir einen Index der regionalen Identität entwickelt, der die Intensität der persönlichen und sozialen Beziehungen von Zu- und Abwanderern misst.

The path-dependent evolution of the entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) – dynamics and region-specific assets of the case of Vienna (Austria)

ABSTRACT The paper sheds light on the path-dependent development of the Viennese entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE). By taking into account temporal dynamics from the 1990s onwards as well as region-specificities we are able to demonstrate the evolution of the EE is not a linear process, but rather the various pillars of the EE may develop in distinct directions and find themselves in discrete development stages. Our in-depth analysis supports the understanding of how various pillars of the EE – especially the regulatory and finance/funding pillar – interrelate. Furthermore, the detected cause–effect interlinkages are not balanced, but are rather shaped by power-constellations and temporal imprinting as well as other regional specificities, which influence the overall success of the EE.

Barriers to the generation of university spin-offs: a case study of Vienna: Innovations, Networks and Collaborations

The generation of spin-off businesses from university scientific research projects is a potentially important way that universities can contribute to building regional knowledge-based economies. But while there is strong potential, the incidence of university spin-offs in most regions of Europe is disappointingly small, even in cases of the presence of highly ranked research universities. The literature on entrepreneurship generally indicates that the process of generating a successful, technology-based startup is complex and difficult, with different obstacles typically occurring at different phases of the start-up process. In order to understand better the reasons why the incidence of university spin-offs has been disappointingly low in the EU, we have conducted an empirical study of the perceived barriers for the region of Vienna, Austria. The results of the study for Vienna indicate that the most important barriers lie in the attitudes and experiences of individual faculty entrepreneurs, on the one hand, and the difficulty of securing funding and attracting investors from various sources, on the other. The results also show there is general agreement in the perception of faculty entrepreneurs, university administrators, and experts about the entrepreneurial scene, about which barriers are most and least important. The empirical results suggest how the innovation ecosystem of Vienna can be strengthened to increase the incidence of university spin-offs. These suggestions include greater coordination and synergy among universities, private funding sources, and government policymakers. We also indicate fruitful directions for additional research.

From Green Buildings to a Sustainable Real Estate Industry - Assessing five years of GNI

In this paper we assess five years of activity of OGNI, the Austrian Green Building Council. About five years ago the organization started off as an activity of two individuals. In the meantime it has developed into an important actor of the Austrian real estate industry. The organization has certified over 100 buildings according to the DGNB system not only in Austria but also in some other European countries. In addition to that it has developed instruments for supporting a transition toward sustainability for the real estate sector and related sectors by taking a more holistic perspective that looks at products, processes and people. After five years of development, OGNI can be considered a success story that justifies a closer investigation.The analysis of our paper is based upon information from documents and stakeholders about the historical development of OGNI and of sustainable real estate in Austria and upon a survey of members of the organization. The paper will investigate, to what extent and in what respects the five year development of OGNI can be considered successful and will identify the main lessons that can be drawn from this example.