Tracing Regional Economic Evolutions. KIS Impact on Growth

The aim of this paper is to construct a model describing the roles of KIS in the growth of regions. Application of structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed the different roles of KIS in developed and less developed regions. The models show KIS does not work appropriately in either group of regions and its impact on growth is only indirect, even in developed regions: in the less developed regions KIS influences innovations and productivity and industry is inefficient; in the developed regions, in turn, KIS plays a key role also as a mediator with high-tech industry, inducing growth in various ways.