Europass
Curriculum Vitae
Personal information
First name(s) / Surname(s)
Address(es)
James Karlsen
Wattnegata 12, 4515 Mandal, Norway
Telephone
+47 48 01 05 44
Fax(es)
+47 38 14 22 01
E-mail
james.karlsen@agderforskning.no
Nationality
Norwegian
Date of birth
03.01.1959
Gender
Male
Work experience/ Senior Researcher/Agderforskning, Norway
Education and training Senior Researcher/Orkestra, Basque Institute of Competiveness, Spain
James Karlsen is Senior Researcher and group leader for regional development in
Agderforskning. He is also affiliated to Orkestra, Basque Institute of Competiveness, Spain. He
has a Master in in Economic Geography at University of Oslo, Norway (1986) and a PhD in
Industrial Management Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management at the
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim, Norway (2007). His main
research interests are within innovation systems, the role of university in regional development,
territorial development and action research. He has published many international articles and
books within these issues.
Personal skills and Dr. Karlsen has worked professionally as a Senior Researcher for 16 years at Agderforskning,
competences and has worked on a range of national and international R&D projects, many as project leader.
He has long experience from management of research projects and from collaborative
development projects with local and regional stakeholders both in Norway and Spain. Karlsen
has long experience in analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data and connecting the data
to theory and create papers and policy reports. In Orkestra Karlsen is working building up action
research competence, and how researchers and policy makers can engage in complex
knowledge creation processes.
Mother tongue(s)
Other language(s)
Self-assessment
European level (*)
English
Norwegian
English
Understanding
Listening
C2
Speaking
Reading
C2
Spoken interaction
C2
Writing
Spoken production
C2
C2
(*) Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
Guest editor in journals o
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2011). Journal of the Knowledge Economy 2(4), special issue:
Organizational Learning, Innovation Systems and Strategies.
Books o
Karlsen, J. and Larrea, M. (Forthcoming 2014). Territorial development and Action Research. Innovation
through Dialogue. Gower, Surrey.
Peer-reviewed international o
journals
Karlsen, J. (2013) The importance of anchor firms in thin regional innovation systems - Lessons from
Norway. Systemic Practice and Action Research, Vol. 26, Issue 1, 89-98.,
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2013).Can small regions construct regional advantages? The case of four
Norwegian regions, European Urban and Regional Studies, 20(2), 243–257.
Aslesen, H.W., Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2012). Modes of innovation and differentiated responses to
globalisation - A case study of innovation modes in the Agder region, Norway, Journal of the Knowledge
Economy. Vol. 3, Issue 4, 389-405.
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2012). What is regional in regional clusters? The case of the globally
oriented oil and gas cluster in Agder, Norway. Industry and Innovation, Vol. 19, No. 3, 249–263.
Doloreux, D., Isaksen A. Karlsen J. and Dionne, S. (2012). Constructing regional advantages in
peripheral regions: analysis of two localised productive systems. Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift, Vol. 66,
144-154.
Karlsen, J., Larrea, M., Wilson, J., and Aranguren, M. J. (2012). Bridging the Gap between Academic
Research and Regional Development. A case study of knowledge cogeneration processes in the Basque
Country. European Journal of Education 47(1). 122-138.
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2011). Organizational learning, supportive innovation systems, and
implications for policy formulation, Journal of the Knowledge Economy 2(4), 453-462.
Karlsen, J., Isaksen, A. and Spilling, O. R. (2011). The challenge of constructing regional advantages in
peripheral areas. The case of marine biotechnology in Tromsø, Norway. Entrepreneurship & regional
development 23, 3-4, 235-257.
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2010). Different modes of innovation and the challenge of connecting
universities and industry: Case studies of two regional industries in Norway. European Planning Studies
18, 12, 1993-2008.
Karlsen, J. (2010) Regional complexity and the need for engaged governance. Ekonomiaz No. 74, II, 91111.
Johnsen, H. C. G., Karlsen, J., Normann, R. and Fosse, J. K. (2009). The Contradictory Nature of
Knowledge: A Challenge for Understanding Innovation in a Local Context and Workplace Development
and for Doing Action Research, AI & Society, 23, 1, 85–98.
Johnsen, H.C.G., Lysgård, H. K., Kvaale, G. Fosse, J. K., Normann R. and Karlsen, J. (2005). The Agder
Story. AI & Society 19, 4, 430-441.
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Karlsen, J. Isaksen, A., Austenå, H., Brekke, T., Herstad, S., Holtskog, H. and Nilsen, E. (2011)
Forskning eller utdanning? Plan, 2, 32-35.
Chapters in international books o
with review
Aranguren, M. J., Karlsen, J., Larrea, M., Wilson, J. R. (2013). The Development of Action Research
Processes and their Impacts on Socio-Economic Development in the Basque Country in Sugden, R.,
Valania, M. and Wilson J. R. (eds.), Leadership and Cooperation in Academia: Reflecting on the Roles
and Responsibilities of University Faculty and Management, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 216-233.
Karlsen, J. and Larrea, M. (2012). Emergence of shared leadership in Sotarauta, M., Horlings, I. and
Liddle, J. (eds.), Leadership and Change in Sustainable Regional Development, Routledge, 212-233.
Larrea, M., Aranguren, M. J., and Karlsen, J. (2012). New Policy Approaches to develop Innovative
Territories: developing Trust and Behavioural Additionally in Gipuzkoa. In Cooke, P., Parilli, M. D., and
Curbelo, J. L. (eds.), Innovation, Global Change and Territorial Resilience. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar,
150-165.
Aranguren, M. J., Karlsen, J., and Larrea, M., (2012). Regional collaboration - The glue that makes
innovation happen? In Johnsen, H. C. G. and Ennals, R. (eds.), Creating collaborative advantage:
Innovation and Knowledge Creation in Regional Economies. Gower, Surrey, 113-122.
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2012) Changing regional collaborative relations in a global economy – A
case study of the oil and gas equipment supplier cluster in Agder. In Johnsen, H. C. G. and Ennals, R.
(eds.), Creating collaborative advantage: Innovation and Knowledge Creation in Regional Economies.
Gower, Surrey, 151-159.
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2012). Combined and complex mode of innovation in regional cluster
development – Analysis of the light-weight material cluster in Raufoss. In Asheim, B. and Parilli, M. D.
(eds.), Interactive Learning for Innovation: a Key Driver within Clusters and Innovation Systems.
Palgrave-Macmillan, Basingstoke, 115-135.
National journals
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Johnsen, H.C.G, Normann, R. Karlsen, J. and Ennals, R. (2009). Democratic Innovation. In Nolin, T.P.
(ed.). Handbook of Regional Economics, Nova Science Publishers Inc, New York.
Chapters in Norwegian books with o
review
Karlsen, J. (2013 – Forthcoming). Innovasjon i offentlig sektor. In Abelsen, B., Jacobsen, S-E. og
Isaksen, A. Innovasjon - organisasjon, region og politikk. Cappelen Damm.
Karlsen, J. og Isaksen, A. (2011). Det systemiske perspektivet på regionale innovasjonsprosesser.
Utfordringer for regionale forskningsfond. I Johnsen H.C.G. og Pålshaugen, Ø. (eds), Hva er
innovasjon? Bind 1: institusjon og struktur. Kristiansand, Høyskoleforlaget, 196-218.
Isaksen, A. and Karlsen, J. (2009) Næringsutvikling og regionbygging. Utfordringer for Agder i
Regionen - historiske perspektiver, aktuelle utfordringer. Seland, B. (ed). Høgskoleforlaget,
Kristiansand, 131-147.
Karlsen, J. (2009) Universitetets regionale rolle: Skaper av ny kunnskap eller en akademisk kapitalist? I
Johnsen, H.C.G., Halvorsen, A. og Repstad, P. Å forske blant sine egne. Universitet og region –
nærhet og uavhengighet, Høyskoleforlaget, Kristiansand, 49-72.
Karlsen, J. (2008) Læring, kunnskap og innovasjon fra et organisatorisk ståsted. I Isaksen, A., Karlsen,
A. Sæther. B., Innovasjoner i Norge. Et geografisk perspektiv. Fagbokforlaget, 81-98.
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Publications - submitted or under o
revision
Flåten, B-T, Isaksen, A., Karlsen, J. (2013). Global competitive firms in ‘thin regions’: The importance
of uncommon knowledge use. Academy of Management.
Conference Presentations o
(selected)
Karlsen, J. and Larrea, M. (2012). How to Foster Place Based Competitiveness by Integrating Social
Researchers in the Policy Process: Learning to Learn Together. Constructing Place Based
Competitiveness in Times of Global Change TCI Conference, San Sebastian, 16th-19th October, 2012.
Karlsen, J. and Larrea, M. (2012). Policy and Research. Learning to learn together. The 7th
International Seminar on Regional Innovation Policies, 11-12 October 2012, Porto.
Karlsen, J. (2012). Putting institutions and agency into innovation system theory
The Oslo Cancer Cluster from innovation system and institutional entrepreneurship approaches. The
7th International Seminar on Regional Innovation Policies, 11-12 October 2012, Porto.
Karlsen, J. (2011). Innovation and institutional entrepreneurship - A case study of institutionalizing of
telemedicine in Norway. The 6th International Seminar on Regional Innovation Policies Lund, 13-14
October 2011.
Aranguren, M. J., Karlsen, J., and Larrea, M., (2011). Social Capital and Policy Learning:
An inductive experimental approach to constructing regional advantage in Gipuzkoa, Basque Countr.
The 6th International Seminar on Regional Innovation Policies Lund, 13-14 October 2011.
Karlsen, J. and Normann, R. (2011). Learning and Innovation through Cross Border Collaboration. The
6th International Seminar on Regional Innovation Policies Lund, 13-14 October 2011.
Karlsen, J, and Larrea, M. (2011). Emergence of shared leadership in situations of conflict – Mission
impossible? Long term experiences from a local network in the Basque Country. Presentation at RSA
Annual International Conference, Newcastle April, 2011.
Karlsen, J. and Isaksen, A. (2011). Combined and complex mode of innovation in regional cluster
development - Re-thinking the concepts of innovation modes. Presentation at RSA Annual
International Conference, Newcastle April, 2011.
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PROJECT EXPERIENCE
International research projects
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National projects (selected) o
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TEACHING
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2010 – 2012 Organizational Change for Innovation and Institutional Entrepreneurship in Health-Care
Systems. Financed by the Joint Committee for Nordic Research Councils for the Humanities and the
Social Sciences (NOS-HS).
2008 – 2010 Constructing Regional Advantage: Towards State of the Art Regional Innovation System
Policies in Europe? Financed by European Science Foundation and Norwegian Research Council.
2008 – 2014 VRI Agder. Financed by Norwegian Research Council and regional actors in Agder
2009 – 2010 Different modes of innovation and the challenge of stimulating university industry
cooperation. Financed by Norwegian Research Council.
2007 – 2008 Picking the winners. Financed by Nordea
2008 – 2012 Guest lecturer, Master course in Innovation and industrial development. Industrial
Economy and Technology Management, University of Agder, Norway.
2007 Entrepreneurship and innovation, 5 digits, University of Agder, Norway.