by Chenyue Bai, Han Chu & Robert Hassink

The regional innovation systems (RIS) concept is mature and widely used in economic geography.
However, in the face of grand societal challenges and global economic uncertainty, the traditional RIS concept has been questioned and requires further consideration and discussion, to which we want to
contribute in this paper. Thus, this study explores the evolution of RIS research by analyzing RIS
articles published from 1992 to April 2024 using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model. It identifies three phases of RIS development and summarize five classic and three upcoming topics of
RIS. These topics underscore the dynamic nature of RIS research and its continued relevance in addressing contemporary challenges and opportunities in regional development. Finally, this paper
points out directions for future research.

Download paper: Regional Innovation Systems: Evolution,Transition, and Future Agenda

Cite as: Bai et al. (2024) Regional Innovation Systems: Evolution, Transition, and Future Agenda. GEIST – Geography of Innovation and Sustainability Transitions, 2024(04), GEIST Working Paper series.