Explaining Spatial Patterns of Innovation: Analytical and Synthetic Modes of Knowledge Creation in the Medicon Valley Life-Science Cluster

TLDR

Analytical knowledge creation involves understanding and explaining natural phenomena, while synthetic knowledge creation focuses on designing or constructing solutions to achieve functional goals. The authors aim to clarify the proximate–distant learning dichotomy by proposing an alternative conceptualization that distinguishes analytical from synthetic modes of knowledge creation. They apply this analytical–synthetic framework to qualitative data from the Medicon Valley life‑science cluster, illustrating how globally distributed analytical knowledge creation complements locally oriented synthetic knowledge creation. They find that globally distributed analytical knowledge creation complements locally oriented synthetic knowledge creation within the Medicon Valley life‑science cluster.

Abstract

The authors address the dichotomy around ‘proximate’ and ‘distant’ learning processes by looking specifically at the characteristics of the knowledge-creation process. By way of suggesting an alternative conceptualization to the well-known tacit–codified knowledge dichotomy they propose a distinction between ‘analytical’ and ‘synthetic’ modes of knowledge creation. Analytical knowledge creation refers to the understanding and explaining of features of the (natural) world. Synthetic knowledge creation refers to the design or construction of something to attain functional goals. By applying this framework to qualitative empirics from the Medicon Valley life-science cluster, the authors demonstrate the complementarity of globally distributed analytical knowledge creation and locally oriented synthetic knowledge creation.