Sustaining Innovation: Regional Dynamics, Policy Frameworks, and Competitiveness
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1189
Special Issue Editor
Interests: innovation; entrepreneurship; technology transfer; quantitative methods; innovation ecosystems; sustainability; sustainable growth; sustainability-oriented innovation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Innovation is widely recognized to be a key driver of long-term growth and regional competitiveness. This recognition notwithstanding, the ability to uphold innovation remains overlooked in both the sectoral and the regional perspective. This Special Issue will explore the complex interplay between regional dynamics, innovation ecosystems, institutions, and public policies in fostering persistent innovation to promote competitiveness and regional resilience. By bringing together theoretical, empirical, and policy-oriented contributions, this Special Issue aims to raise our understanding of innovation trajectories, virtuous cycles of innovation, and their place-based determinants such as knowledge spillovers, industrial specialization, human capital, and local governance.
This Special Issue seeks contributions that address the persistent problems around regional innovation systems that are adapting to global challenges such as climate change, digital transformation, and demographic shifts while maintaining inclusive and resilient growth. Submissions may encompass, but are not limited to, cross-country comparisons, longitudinal studies, and mixed-method approaches.
Dr. Joana Costa
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- innovation persistence
- place-based innovation
- public policies
- competitiveness
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