TY  - JOUR
T1  - How to Think about Regional Development Agencies as a Sociologist
AU - Roncevic, Borut AU - Valic, Tamara Besednjak 
JO  - The Social Sciences
VL  - 14
IS  - 9
SP  - 326
EP  - 334
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1818-5800
DO  - sscience.2019.326.334
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=sscience.2019.326.334
KW  - Regional development agencies
KW  -regional innovation systems
KW  -path-shaping
KW  -social fields
KW  -constraints
KW  -global trends
AB  - Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have the paramount role in development and
implementation of regional development strategies. Due to the European Union principle of subsidiarity they
are firmly embedded in multi-level strategic processes. However, although strategic processes are social
processes, RDAs have rarely been the subject of sociological research. In this study, we conceptualize RDAs
as social actors operating at the two intersections, first of global (mega)-trends and local micro-contexts and
second as the intermediary between stakeholders in the regional innovation system. RDAs as social actors are
agents of path-shaping. As they are operating in conditions of high complexity and can only make ‘choice
within constraints’ they can perform this role only indirectly. They do it firstly, by employing reflexive and
careful contextual intervention in institutions, social networks and cognitive frames to shape choices and
constraints of other actors and secondly, by engaging and moderating strategic discourse.
ER  -