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Research Activities & Themes. Kevin Heanue Innovation & Rural Development Unit RERC Athenry. Rural Economy Research Centre. Surveys Department. Corporate Affairs Unit. Agricultural Economics Department. Rural Viability Department. Innovation and Rural Development Unit. FAPRI-Ireland Unit.
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Research Activities & Themes Kevin Heanue Innovation & Rural Development Unit RERC Athenry
Rural Economy Research Centre Surveys Department Corporate Affairs Unit Agricultural Economics Department Rural Viability Department Innovation and Rural Development Unit FAPRI-Ireland Unit Farm Level Modelling Unit Spatial Analysis Unit Environment Unit RERC Structure
Innovation & Rural Development Unit - RERC • 3 permanent Research Officers • Geographer, Sociologist, Economist • 4 PhD students • Geographer – David Meredith • Farm diversification • Rural labour markets • Rural population studies • Sociologist – Aine Macken Walsh • Qualitative analysis of farmer behaviour • Barriers to change • Farm partnerships • Rural men and suicide
Background • Industrial economics - innovation • Rural development • Chairman Connemara West Plc • Teagasc Nominee – FORUM Connemara (LEADER) Evaluation Committee
Approaches & methods • Heterodox - eclectic use of theoretical and conceptual perspectives and also variety of methodologies • Neo-Schumpeterian economics; capabilities perspective; economic sociology; regional science • Case studies; statistical and econometric analysis
Past research • Innovation & technological change • LMT sectors • Processes, networks, policy • Rural development • Housing • Affordability, second homes, settlement strategies • Industrial economics • Trust; institutional learning; organisational proximity; networking; industrial agglomeration; embeddedness; industrial policy.
Current Projects in Teagasc • Economics of Innovation • Evaluation of Teagasc’s Business & Technology Programme • Technology transfer (CISC Walsh Fellow) • LMT Innovation • Audit of Policy in Rural Areas • Housing in Rural Ireland • Rural Innovation • Technology Adoption & Transfer • 3 year project; mix of quantitative and qualitative methods
Future Research Themes • Innovation systems • Identifying and understanding the actors, institutions organisations and networks at sector level and regional level. • Technology adoption, diffusion & transfer • Motivations, attitudes in addition to attributes. Benchmarking adoption. Technology transfer mechanisms. • Local development strategies • Role of rural/community development organisations • Identification of development paths