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Institutions of scientific knowledge generation in regional economic systems
The institution of the university comprises one of the most important actors within national, regional or metropolitan economic systems. Typically, metropolitan universities are seen in terms of components of the respective national economic system. However, the object of our research is the institution of the regional university, which is defined in terms of a regional economic actor. There are various models for analysing the impact of universities on the regional economies. Several studies have studied this phenomenon in terms of providing employment, increasing expenditures and exporting educational services to other regions. However, in emphasising the role of universities in regional economies within the knowledge economy, most contemporary researchers consider the university as a major producer of scientific knowledge. Different "helix" models and models of university engagement are constructed in the context of this position. In order to overcome problems concerning terminological and methodological diversity, we propose to employ an institutional approach to the analysis of economic phenomena. Institutions are understood as comprising a set of formal and informal norms, as well as the mechanisms required to implement their conformance with these norms. The aim of our study is the development of a typology of institutions of scientific knowledge generation according to the different phases and stages of scientific production. In order to avoid an artificial gap in the subject-object relation, we analyse the problem on the basis of the methodological unity of actors, stakeholders and institutions, as well as their interactions with the environment (natural, political, social, economic and cultural). For the classification of institutions, several dimensions were referred to: the stages of knowledge generation (production, exchange, dissemination and consumption); management functions (planning, organisation, control and motivation). The model of circulation of explicit / tacit knowledge SECI developed by Nonaka and Takeuchi for the corporate sector is also thought to be relevant in this connection. On the basis of this model, we have identified the institutions of socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation of knowledge. The results of the study will be used in the further analysis of case studies of universities, both in Russia and elsewhere.