Wilfred Dolfsma, born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in 1970. Ph.D. from Erasmus University Rotterdam. Associate Professor in Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Maastricht University.
Fellow (1 September 2005 – 30 June 2006)
ANALYSING THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY: COMMUNICATION, INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION.
My two main goals during my stay at NIAS were (1) to organize a workshop from which to draw papers for a special issue, and (2) to write a monograph both with the theme of the role of knowledge in the economy. The workshop was a huge success and a special issue of the prestigious Journal Research Policy will appear in the course of 2007.
The second goal: a monograph entitled Knowledge Economies – Innovation, Location and Organization, is well underway. The monograph consists of papers, which have already or are about to be published, rewritten to fit together. The contract with Routledge stipulates that this will appear in 2007.
In addition I worked on several projects which led to the following publications: three edited volumes, 18 articles, four newspaper pieces; others are still under way. The fellowship stimulated me to read and discuss much more broadly than I would otherwise, and I was also able to bring more focus to my research strands. I found the interactions with individual fellow Fellows, but and the NIAS seminars and theme-group seminars particularly stimulating in this regard.
Overall I was able to accomplish more than I had hoped at NIAS. Although the monograph has not been completed yet, this was not to be expected – it will nevertheless appear relatively soon after my NIAS year. In addition, I finished a number of projects, some of which would have run aground if it were not for NIAS. Paradoxically, I was able to work with great intensity as well as take time to explore and be stimulated by new inputs. This will prove to be a source of inspiration for some years to come.