Science Parks as Knowledge Organizations: The 'ba' in Action?

Recent studies of the impact of science parks have questioned traditional assumption about the effect of the parks on innovation and economic growth. Most studies tend to measure the effect by rather traditional measures, revenue,survival of new firms, without taking into account, that knowledge has gained a growing importance in the new economy. If we shift focus to organization theory discussions on new knowledge and innovation has specialized in relation to the process of creation, managing, organizing, sharing, transferring etc. of knowledge. The evaluation of science parks has to relate to the changed role of knowledge in the creation of economic growth. With the help of the concept of the ba from Nonanka, the article discuss if or how traditional organized science parks can become central actors in the new knowledge production or has to be viewed as an outdated institution from the industrial society.