PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PROXIMITIES: THEIR ROLE IN THE PROCESS OF TECHNOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE DIFFUSION

Abstract

The studies devoted to the analysis of proximity relations refuse to dissociate the economic from the geographical aspects, and all of which take into account various dimensions of proximity relations. The main objective is to bring into light the role of the different types of proximities into the process of knowledge diffusion between firms and/or other partners and organisations. Based on the theoretical debate about geographical proximity, the paper concludes that it can be activated or mobilized by the actions of economic and social actors. All the proximities contribute to the process of territorial development in helping distant or close partners to work together.