Regional nodes in European areas to boost innovation transfer and knowledge uptake. A social network analysis of building relationships in “Short Food Supply Chain Knowledge and Innovation Network (SKIN)” – H2020 project

Abstract

This paper aims at conceptualizing the approach followed in designing the building European network within the H2020 project “Short Supply Chain Knowledge and Innovation Network”. It was brought together literature regarding the adoption of network analysis and the development of short food supply chain in order to describe the role of the regional nodes as means to transfer knowledge along and between local food systems around European areas. This resulted into the framework of SKIN network design. The approach is devised to overcome the parochialism of local food systems, and structure an interconnected design among economic players to fulfill regional and global impacts in knowledge transfer.