Although the increase of knowledge as an ‘asset’ in products and services offers new challenges and opportunities, it also throws up new barriers. One such barrier, the lack of access to knowledge, is analysed as consisting of several processes with different key factors that obstruct or stimulate those processes. Furthermore, different levels of analysis are introduced and the concept of ‘knowledge circulation’ is positioned. Barriers to access affect in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which consequently do not participate to their full potential in the knowledge infrastructure. A new initiative in the Netherlands, the Innovation Alliance, focuses on renewing and strengthening the position of SMEs in the knowledge infrastructure giving special attention to the universities of professional education and their ‘centres of excellence’. This is illustrated by a project in which SMEs work together in a hydraulic cluster.
AWT/Onderwijsraad (2001), Hogeschool van Kennis, Kennisuitwisseling tussen beroepspraktijk en hogescholen, AWT/Onderwijsraad, The Hague.
2.
CHEPS (2002), Kennis maken in de regio, een verkennend onderzoek naar kennistransfer enkennisrelaties, Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies, The Hague.
3.
CohenW.M.LevinthalD.A. (1990), ‘Absorptive capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation’, Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol 35, pp 128–152.
CummingsJ.L.TengB.-S. (2003), ‘Transferring R&D knowledge: The key factors affecting knowledge transfer success’, Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, Vol 20, pp 39–68.
6.
GranovetterM.S. (1973), ‘The strength of weak ties’, American Journal of Sociology, Vol 78, pp 1360–1380.
7.
HallD.M.McKinnaA.ThakeG. (2003), ‘Structured problem-solving techniques to stimulate innovation in new product development in UK SMEs’, Industry and Higher Education, Vol 17, No 2, 2003, pp 139–142.
8.
HämäläinenTimoJ. (2001), ‘The comparative advantage of networks in economic organisation: Efficiency and innovation in highly specialised and uncertain environments’, in Innovative Networks: Co-operation in National Innovation Systems, Organization for Economic Development and Co-operation, Paris.
LazarusR.S.FolkmanS. (1984), Stress, Appraisal and Coping, Springer, New York.
12.
MeeusM.T.H.OerlemansL.A.G. (in press), ‘National innovation systems’, in van WaardenF.CasperS., eds, Institutions and Innovation, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, chapter 3.
13.
MeeusM.T.H.OerlemansL.A.G.HageJ. (in press), ‘Interactive learning between industry and knowledge infrastructure: An exploration of an extended resource-based model in a high tech region’, in BakkerS.BoekemaF.RuttenR., eds, Universities, Knowledge Infrastructure, and Learning Regions, Routledge, London.
14.
Ministerie van Economische Zaken (2001), Samen innoveren, een onderzoek naar publiek-private en private kennisrelaties in Nederland, Ministerie van Economische Zaken, The Hague.
15.
NooteboomB. (2002), ‘Attentiepunten voor innovatiebeleid: Voorstellen van een bedrijfskundige’, in Het Nederlandse innovatiebeleid: Tijd voor vernieuwing? Beschouwingen over het Nederlandse innovatiebeleid, Ministerie van Economische Zaken, The Hague.
16.
OECD (1999), The Response of Higher Education Institutions to Regional Needs, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris.
17.
OECD (2000), Workshop on Enhancing the Competitiveness of SMEs Through Innovation, Conference for Ministers Responsible for SMEs and Industry Ministers, Bologna, 14–15 June, http://www.eim.net.
18.
ThorborgL. (2000), ‘Veel hoger opgeleiden beter af in MKB’, Ondernemen, Vol 6, No 4, pp 26–28.
19.
TjallemaJ. (2000), ‘MKB trekt te weinig HBO-ers’, Gids voor Personeelsmanagement, Vol 79, No 6, pp 46–48.
20.
UzziB. (1996), ‘Sources and consequences of embeddedness for the economic performance of organizations’, American Sociological Review, Vol 61, pp 674–698.
21.
Van den BoschF.A.J.VolberdaH.W.de BoerM. (1999), ‘Coevolution of firm absorptive capacity and knowledge environment: Organisational forms and combinative capabilities’, Organisation Science, Vol 10, No 5, pp 551–568.
22.
Van VlietH., ed (2003), Impulse Knowledge Circulation: Innovating the Knowledge Infrastructure by Bridging the Knowledge Gap Between Universities of Professional Education and Small and Medium Enterprises, BSIK Proposal, The Hague.
23.
VerspagenB.DuystersG. (2004), ‘The small worlds of strategic technology alliances’, Technovation, Vol 24, No 7, pp 563–571.
24.
VolberdaH.W.van den BoschF.A.J. (2004), ‘Rethinking the Dutch innovation agenda: Management and organization matter most’, Essay for the Ministry of Economic Affairs Innovation Lecture 2004, The Hague.
25.
WiggK.M. (2002), ‘Overcome the challenges of globalisation with new generation knowledge management’, paper presented at KM Europe, London, 13 November.
