The comparison of distinct societal processes expressing key universals in societal progress permits a fusion of local and wider logics. Two main stereotypes are examined to compare their workings and their outcomes: the Western free market democratic, and the Chinese party-state driven.

Knowledge generation is considered to be a collective process which requires mobilisation of number of knowledge agents. There is open debate in the literature about the role of spatial proximity for the knowledge interactions. Are proximity or distance interactions crucial for the knowledge...