Roper S., Youtie J., Shapira P. and Fernandez-Ribas A. Knowledge, capabilities and manufacturing innovation: a USA-Europe comparison, Regional Studies. This paper presents a comparative analysis of factors contributing to the innovation performance of manufacturing firms in Georgia (USA), Wales...

Love J. H., Roper S. and Hewitt-Dundas N. Service innovation, embeddedness and business performance: evidence from Northern Ireland, Regional Studies. This paper explores the factors that determine innovation by service firms, and in particular the contribution of intra- and extra-regional...

C OOKE P., R OPER S. and W YLIE P. (2003) "The golden thread of innovation' and Northern Ireland's evolving regional innovation system, Reg. Studies 37 , 365-379. The title embodies the belief, expressed in 2000 by Northern Ireland's Economic Development Minister, Sir Reg Empey, that innovation...

ROPER S. (1998) Plant size and industry-mix effects on UK regional productivity, wage costs and operating surplus, Reg. Studies 32 , 325-332. The ability of a region to create wealth depends both on the competitiveness of its individual firms and its industrial structure. This paper examines the...

Hewitt-Dundas N., Andreosso-O'Callaghan B., Crone M., Murray J. and Roper S. (2005) Selling global, buying local? What determines the sourcing patterns of multinational plants in Ireland?, Regional Studies 39 , 225-239. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) have played an important, if not crucial,...

Knowledge and local learning are central to current debates about regional economic development. Using data provided by multinational plants, this paper provides new evidence on the geography of knowledge, emphasizing the proximity of Northern Ireland-based multinational plants to global best...

The influence of networks and location on plants' innovation activities has received considerable attention over the last decade. Most empirical work has centred on the hypotheses suggested by the urban hierarchy model. That is, that resource-rich, urban areas may be more conducive to product...