Research achievements in transition: German scholars’ contribution to economic geographies of knowledge, innovation and new technologies

The 2018 Global Conference on Economic Geography in Cologne provides the occasion to take stock of research achievements especially of German geographers in selected fields. This paper reviews, based on a broad range of academic milestone publications, how German scholars have moved forward research frontiers in the field of knowledge, innovation and technology geographies. Which marks did this country’s economic geographers leave on the advancement of conceptual ideas, yet which topics were neglected? And how have they engaged in producing convincing empirical evidence for conceptualized developments? In which ways have German researchers ventured towards informing and supporting effective policies of innovation oriented regional or national development? Conclusively, which qualities can be discerned that specifically mark a ‘German’ approach towards economic geography research on knowledge, innovation and new technologies, telling about strengths and weaknesses with respect to being noticed internationally? Exploring these questions, the paper offers a structured review of exemplary works published in German or English language and points out some distinctive nation-specific features and topical achievements of economic geography research.